ATACAMA DESERT, Chile — In the middle of the desert in northern Chile, massive pools of Caribbean blue water sit next to what appear to be snowdrifts.
But this is a lithium mine.
The pools are filled with salty groundwater that contains lithium. It’s a key component in the rechargeable lithium-ion batteries for electric cars, solar panels and other green technologies.
“It’s really, really a beautiful place,” says Marcelo Valdebenito, a public relations officer for Albemarle Corp., the Charlotte, N.C.-based chemical company that operates the mine. “This is the lithium that powers the world.”
Indeed, the world is hungry for the silvery-white metal. The International Energy Agency is projecting a more than 40-fold increase in demand for lithium by 2040. Lithium prices have hit record highs this year.
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