Lithium (锂) is called "white gold" for good reason. The metal's value has been growing rapidly over the last several years, mainly because it is an essential material of lithium—ion (锂离子) batteries which play an important part in several key sustainable technologies, eg. electric cars.
As ocean waves, wind and solar power have grown into major players in the energy industry, lithium has also become key to building a future free of petrol. But getting lithium comes at a huge cost. Just like most metals, its mining is damaging. It often works like this: Briny water, containing lithium and other metals, is pumped to the surface from underground. Then it sits in pools to allow the water to evaporate (蒸发), leaving the rest behind as poisonous matter. Workers use chemical reactions to remove the lithium from that, making it into powder which is then packaged and shipped to the buyers around the world. Any accident that releases mine matter into surrounding communities or the groundwater supply could have damaging long-term impacts.
Indigenous (原住民) communities often bear the result of the damage, and political leaders have paid little attention to their concerns. In Arizona, for example, an expanding lithium mine is threatening the Hualapai Tribe's historical sites. And for politicians who have promised to work with locals to deal with it, mining lithium and other precious metals is putting them into a dilemma: How do you ensure the availability of materials which are essential to the future while protecting indigenous people's living environment?
Mining of the metal is expected to increase greatly in coming years. Over time, that will make electric cars inexpensive and, therefore, more popular.
As environmentally conscious consumers buy electric cars in ever-greater numbers, it's important to be aware of the dirty process that powers those clean air vehicles.
