Communities challenge Argentina lithium projects
Indigenous communities in north-east Argentina’s Jujuy province are reportedly challenging new lithium project developments amid concerns about groundwater depletion. Argentina’s Ministry of Mining reported that investment in lithium exploration and production in the country increased by 928% between 2015-18, but that investment is also accompanied by social and environmental tensions. As the environmental costs of lithium production have become clear, locals are questioning whether it is a sustainable industry and this has the potential to further impact intended production growth in Argentina going forward. With water also a key issue in Chile this could be an important trend to watch.
Topics
Argentina
Brine
Chile
Lithium