We are vastly overestimating the amount of fresh water available for lithium mining, new study finds
Peer-Reviewed Publication
Updates every hour. Last Updated: 20-Aug-2025 14:10 ET (20-Aug-2025 18:10 GMT/UTC)
New research into lithium mining in the “Lithium Triangle” of Chile, Argentina and Bolivia — source of more than half of the world’s lithium resources — shows that the commonly accepted models used to estimate water how much water is available for lithium extraction and what the environmental effects may be are off by more than an order of magnitude. The paper, published in Communications Earth and Environment, reveals that there is far less water available than previously thought. With demand for the mineral, which is critical for batteries powering the green transition, projected to increase 40-fold in the coming decades, the research suggests local communities, regulators and the lithium mining industry must quickly collaborate to bring their water usage within sustainable limits.
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