South America's 'lithium fields' reveal the dark side of our electric future

Lithium extraction fields in South America have been captured by an aerial photographer in beautiful excessive definition.

However whereas the pictures could also be breathtaking to take a look at, they characterize the darkish facet of our swiftly electrifying world.

Lithium represents a route out of our reliance on fossil gas manufacturing. Because the lightest identified steel on the planet, it's now broadly utilized in electrical units from cell phones and laptops, to automobiles and plane.

Lithium-ion batteries are most well-known for powering electrical autos, that are set to account for as much as 60 per cent of latest automotive gross sales by 2030. The battery of a Tesla Mannequin S, for instance, makes use of round 12 kg of lithium.

These batteries are the important thing to light-weight, rechargeable energy. Because it stands, demand for lithium is unprecedented and plenty of say it's essential with a view to transition to renewables.

Nonetheless, this does not come with no value - mining the chemical component could be dangerous to the setting.

German aerial photographer Tom Hegen specialises in documenting the traces we depart on the earth's floor. His work offers an outline of locations the place we extract, refine and devour sources along with his newest collection exposing the “Lithium Triangle.”

widget--size-fullwidth
widget--align-center">

Lithium represents a route out of our reliance on fossil fuels - it's most well-known for powering electrical autos.

This area wealthy with pure deposits could be discovered the place the borders of Chile, Argentina and Bolivia meet. And roughly 1 / 4 is saved within the Salar de Atacama salt flats in northern Chile.

'Lithium Fields' within the Salar de Atacama salt flats in northern Chile.Tom Hegen

Hegen spoke to us concerning the venture.

“Since a variety of my work offers with the extraction, processing and use of sources, I bought all for what the transition of the mobility sector in direction of electromobility regarded like,” he begins.

“Lithium is likely one of the key parts of constructing (automotive) batteries and I needed to photograph the worldwide largest examples of lithium evaporation websites within the lithium triangle of Chile, Bolivia and Argentina.”

So how did he do it?

“To get the large mining operations within the body, I chartered a small aeroplane and flew excessive above them,” Hegen explains.

His photos of the Soquimich lithium mine within the Atacama desert, run by main mining operator Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM), are a part of his new venture, The Lithium Collection I.

Why are the fields so vibrant?

The vivid hues of the lithium fields, or ponds, are attributable to totally different concentrations of lithium carbonate. Their colors can vary from a pinky white, to a turquoise, to a extremely concentrated, canary yellow.

A 2015 piece within the New Scientist described the fields as “surreal landscapes the place batteries are born”.

Tom Hegen's information images venture, The Lithium Collection I.Tom Hegen

Why is lithium extraction dangerous for the setting?

Any sort of useful resource extraction is dangerous to the planet. It is because eradicating these uncooked supplies may end up in soil degradation, water shortages, biodiversity loss, harm to ecosystem features and a rise in international warming.

However after we consider extraction, we consider fossil fuels like coal and gasoline. Sadly, lithium additionally falls underneath the identical umbrella, regardless of paving the way in which for an electrical future.. Lithium could be described because the non-renewable mineral that makes renewable power doable - usually touted as the subsequent oil.

widget--size-fullwidth
widget--align-center">

Lithium extraction inevitably harms the soil and causes air contamination.

In keeping with a report by Mates of the Earth (FoE), lithium extraction inevitably harms the soil and causes air contamination. As demand rises, the mining impacts are “more and more affecting communities the place this dangerous extraction takes place, jeopardising their entry to water,” says the report.

Two photos from Tom Hegen's Lithium Collection I.Tom Hegen

The salt flats in South America the place lithium is discovered are situated in arid territories. In these locations, entry to water is vital for the native communities and their livelihoods, in addition to the native wildlife.

In Chile’s Atacama salt flats, mining consumes, contaminates and diverts scarce water sources away from native communities.

widget--size-fullwidth
widget--align-center">

Roughly 2.2 million litres of water is required to supply one ton of lithium.

The manufacturing of lithium by way of evaporation ponds makes use of a variety of water - round 21 million litres per day. Roughly 2.2 million litres of water is required to supply one ton of lithium.

“The extraction of lithium has precipitated water-related conflicts with totally different communities, such because the neighborhood of Toconao within the north of Chile,” the FoE report specifies.

Hegen's images venture, The Lithium Collection I.Tom Hegen

The place are different lithium hotspots around the globe?

The rising curiosity in lithium has seen the world’s largest-known reserves improve considerably. There are round 80 million tonnes of recognized reserves globally as of 2019, based on the US Geological Survey (USGS).

After South America (mainly Bolivia, Chile and Argentina) the subsequent largest lithium-producing nation is the US, adopted carefully by Australia and China.

In 2019, lithium exports from Australia are reported to have totalled virtually $1.6 billion (€1.3bn).

Very like historic contests and wars over gold and oil, governments are preventing for supremacy over minerals like lithium - as this might assist them obtain financial and technological dominance for many years to come back.

Different international locations with smaller reserves are Zimbabwe, Brazil and, the one European nation, Portugal.

Lithium mining has grow to be significantly controversial just lately in Portugal, with the municipality of Pinhel now getting ready to file an injunction to cease the exploration. Portuguese residents have repeatedly rallied in opposition to the uncommon steel's mining, citing big environmental ramifications. However the authorities has given the inexperienced mild to the extraction of the "white gold" in six totally different areas.

95 per cent of the native inhabitants has rejected these plans, regardless of the mining firm's guarantees that the ore's exploitation will create round 800 jobs for locals.

So ought to we cease extracting lithium for batteries?

An analogous report printed in 2021 by the nonprofit BePe (Bienaventuradors de Pobres) additionally identifies water as a main concern for lithium mining operations.

It claims that not sufficient analysis has been completed on the potential contamination of water and “exercise have to be stopped till research can be found to reliably decide the magnitude of the harm.”

Gleb Yushin, a professor on the Faculty of Supplies and Engineering at Georgia Institute of Expertise, US, argues that new battery expertise must be developed utilizing extra frequent, environmentally-friendly supplies. His paper is printed within the journal Nature, alongside co-authors together with Kostiantyn Turcheniuk.

widget--size-fullwidth
widget--align-center">

As reserves of lithium and cobalt won't meet future demand, advised parts to give attention to as an alternative are iron and silicon.

Researchers like Yushin are engaged on new battery alternate options that may change lithium and cobalt (one other dangerous steel) with much less poisonous and extra simply accessible supplies. As reserves of lithium and cobalt won't meet future demand, advised parts to give attention to as an alternative are iron and silicon.

In contrast to lithium-ion batteries, iron circulation batteries are additionally cheaper to fabricate, renewable power veteran Wealthy Hossfeld instructed Bloomberg just lately, in an article entitled 'Iron battery breakthrough may eat lithium’s lunch'.

“We name on supplies scientists, engineers and funding businesses to prioritise the analysis and improvement of electrodes primarily based on plentiful parts,” maintains Yushin.

“In any other case, the roll-out of electrical automobiles will stall inside a decade.”

Lithium extraction fields in South America have been captured by an aerial photographer in beautiful excessive definition.

However whereas the pictures could also be breathtaking to take a look at, they characterize the darkish facet of our swiftly electrifying world.

Lithium represents a route out of our reliance on fossil gas manufacturing. Because the lightest identified steel on the planet, it's now broadly utilized in electrical units from cell phones and laptops, to automobiles and plane.

Lithium-ion batteries are most well-known for powering electrical autos, that are set to account for as much as 60 per cent of latest automotive gross sales by 2030. The battery of a Tesla Mannequin S, for instance, makes use of round 12 kg of lithium.

These batteries are the important thing to light-weight, rechargeable energy. Because it stands, demand for lithium is unprecedented and plenty of say it's essential with a view to transition to renewables.

Nonetheless, this does not come with no value - mining the chemical component could be dangerous to the setting.

German aerial photographer Tom Hegen specialises in documenting the traces we depart on the earth's floor. His work offers an outline of locations the place we extract, refine and devour sources along with his newest collection exposing the “Lithium Triangle.”

widget--size-fullwidth
widget--align-center">

Lithium represents a route out of our reliance on fossil fuels - it's most well-known for powering electrical autos.

This area wealthy with pure deposits could be discovered the place the borders of Chile, Argentina and Bolivia meet. And roughly 1 / 4 is saved within the Salar de Atacama salt flats in northern Chile.

'Lithium Fields' within the Salar de Atacama salt flats in northern Chile.Tom Hegen

Hegen spoke to us concerning the venture.

“Since a variety of my work offers with the extraction, processing and use of sources, I bought all for what the transition of the mobility sector in direction of electromobility regarded like,” he begins.

“Lithium is likely one of the key parts of constructing (automotive) batteries and I needed to photograph the worldwide largest examples of lithium evaporation websites within the lithium triangle of Chile, Bolivia and Argentina.”

So how did he do it?

“To get the large mining operations within the body, I chartered a small aeroplane and flew excessive above them,” Hegen explains.

His photos of the Soquimich lithium mine within the Atacama desert, run by main mining operator Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM), are a part of his new venture, The Lithium Collection I.

Why are the fields so vibrant?

The vivid hues of the lithium fields, or ponds, are attributable to totally different concentrations of lithium carbonate. Their colors can vary from a pinky white, to a turquoise, to a extremely concentrated, canary yellow.

A 2015 piece within the New Scientist described the fields as “surreal landscapes the place batteries are born”.

Tom Hegen's information images venture, The Lithium Collection I.Tom Hegen

Why is lithium extraction dangerous for the setting?

Any sort of useful resource extraction is dangerous to the planet. It is because eradicating these uncooked supplies may end up in soil degradation, water shortages, biodiversity loss, harm to ecosystem features and a rise in international warming.

However after we consider extraction, we consider fossil fuels like coal and gasoline. Sadly, lithium additionally falls underneath the identical umbrella, regardless of paving the way in which for an electrical future.. Lithium could be described because the non-renewable mineral that makes renewable power doable - usually touted as the subsequent oil.

widget--size-fullwidth
widget--align-center">

Lithium extraction inevitably harms the soil and causes air contamination.

In keeping with a report by Mates of the Earth (FoE), lithium extraction inevitably harms the soil and causes air contamination. As demand rises, the mining impacts are “more and more affecting communities the place this dangerous extraction takes place, jeopardising their entry to water,” says the report.

Two photos from Tom Hegen's Lithium Collection I.Tom Hegen

The salt flats in South America the place lithium is discovered are situated in arid territories. In these locations, entry to water is vital for the native communities and their livelihoods, in addition to the native wildlife.

In Chile’s Atacama salt flats, mining consumes, contaminates and diverts scarce water sources away from native communities.

widget--size-fullwidth
widget--align-center">

Roughly 2.2 million litres of water is required to supply one ton of lithium.

The manufacturing of lithium by way of evaporation ponds makes use of a variety of water - round 21 million litres per day. Roughly 2.2 million litres of water is required to supply one ton of lithium.

“The extraction of lithium has precipitated water-related conflicts with totally different communities, such because the neighborhood of Toconao within the north of Chile,” the FoE report specifies.

Hegen's images venture, The Lithium Collection I.Tom Hegen

The place are different lithium hotspots around the globe?

The rising curiosity in lithium has seen the world’s largest-known reserves improve considerably. There are round 80 million tonnes of recognized reserves globally as of 2019, based on the US Geological Survey (USGS).

After South America (mainly Bolivia, Chile and Argentina) the subsequent largest lithium-producing nation is the US, adopted carefully by Australia and China.

In 2019, lithium exports from Australia are reported to have totalled virtually $1.6 billion (€1.3bn).

Very like historic contests and wars over gold and oil, governments are preventing for supremacy over minerals like lithium - as this might assist them obtain financial and technological dominance for many years to come back.

Different international locations with smaller reserves are Zimbabwe, Brazil and, the one European nation, Portugal.

Lithium mining has grow to be significantly controversial just lately in Portugal, with the municipality of Pinhel now getting ready to file an injunction to cease the exploration. Portuguese residents have repeatedly rallied in opposition to the uncommon steel's mining, citing big environmental ramifications. However the authorities has given the inexperienced mild to the extraction of the "white gold" in six totally different areas.

95 per cent of the native inhabitants has rejected these plans, regardless of the mining firm's guarantees that the ore's exploitation will create round 800 jobs for locals.

So ought to we cease extracting lithium for batteries?

An analogous report printed in 2021 by the nonprofit BePe (Bienaventuradors de Pobres) additionally identifies water as a main concern for lithium mining operations.

It claims that not sufficient analysis has been completed on the potential contamination of water and “exercise have to be stopped till research can be found to reliably decide the magnitude of the harm.”

Gleb Yushin, a professor on the Faculty of Supplies and Engineering at Georgia Institute of Expertise, US, argues that new battery expertise must be developed utilizing extra frequent, environmentally-friendly supplies. His paper is printed within the journal Nature, alongside co-authors together with Kostiantyn Turcheniuk.

widget--size-fullwidth
widget--align-center">

As reserves of lithium and cobalt won't meet future demand, advised parts to give attention to as an alternative are iron and silicon.

Researchers like Yushin are engaged on new battery alternate options that may change lithium and cobalt (one other dangerous steel) with much less poisonous and extra simply accessible supplies. As reserves of lithium and cobalt won't meet future demand, advised parts to give attention to as an alternative are iron and silicon.

In contrast to lithium-ion batteries, iron circulation batteries are additionally cheaper to fabricate, renewable power veteran Wealthy Hossfeld instructed Bloomberg just lately, in an article entitled 'Iron battery breakthrough may eat lithium’s lunch'.

“We name on supplies scientists, engineers and funding businesses to prioritise the analysis and improvement of electrodes primarily based on plentiful parts,” maintains Yushin.

“In any other case, the roll-out of electrical automobiles will stall inside a decade.”