Lithium: Not as clean as we thought - Climate360 News (2024)

FAQs

Is lithium really bad for the environment? ›

Every tonne of mined lithium results in 15 tonnes of CO2 emissions in the environment. In addition, it is estimated that about 500,000 litres of water are needed to mine approximately 2.2 million litres per tonne of lithium. This substantially impacts the environment, leading to water scarcity in already arid regions.

► Exposure to Lithium can cause loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain. ► Lithium can cause headache, muscle weakness, twitching, blurred vision, loss of coordination, tremors, confusion, seizures and coma.

Though emissions deriving from mining these two elements are lower than those deriving from fossil fuels production, the extraction methods for lithium and cobalt can be very energy intensive – leading to air and water pollution, land degradation, and potential for groundwater contamination.

Some types of Lithium-ion batteries such as NMC contain metals such as nickel, manganese and cobalt, which are toxic and can contaminate water supplies and ecosystems if they leach out of landfills.

Lithium is a lightweight metal that is completely, infinitely recyclable. It can be recycled again and again. The issue today is that recycling lithium can be far more expensive than extracting lithium through brine mining. However, scientists are working to find more cost-effective recycling methods.

While these batteries provide an effective and efficient source of power, the likelihood of them overheating, catching on fire, and even leading to explosions increases when they are damaged or improperly used, charged, or stored.

Common lithium side effects include shaky hands, frequent urination, and nausea that can cause discomfort. Taking lithium can also cause changes in electrolytes and kidney or thyroid function. Lithium toxicity is a serious side effect that can occur when there's too much lithium in your body.

Lithium is a mood stabiliser, but the exact way that it works is not known. Lithium may work by changing the release of chemicals like dopamine or serotonin in your brain. Taking lithium helps you to have more control over your emotions. It helps you cope better with bipolar mood swings.

Yes, it's true that lithium batteries offer a way out of our reliance on incredibly damaging fossil fuels. However, it comes at a cost because mining the raw materials needed to produce these batteries is also harmful to the environment.

With all that's required to mine and process minerals — from giant diesel trucks to fossil-fuel-powered refineries — EV battery production has a significant carbon footprint. As a result, building an electric vehicle does more damage to the climate than building a gas car does.

What are the dark side of lithium mining? ›

These side effects include: use of large quantities of water and related pollution; potential increase in carbon dioxide emissions; production of large quantities of mineral waste; increased respiratory problems; alteration of the hydrological cycle. Obviously the economic interests at stake are enormous.

Each ton of refined lithium uses up to half a million gallons of water. The results deplete the water table and cause soil contamination. Cobalt is another major component in some EV batteries – though newer-generation batteries using LFP (lithium-iron phosphate) technology have eliminated it.

Moreover, the chemicals involved in lithium extraction are extremely toxic. "The release of such chemicals through leeching [sic], spills or air emissions can harm communities, ecosystems and food production," reads a recent report from international environment activism group Friends of the Earth.

When batteries can no longer be used, even for a second life application, they can then be recycled. Vehicle manufacturers can strip and recycle up to 90% of a battery's raw materials, including the lithium, nickel, manganese and cobalt.

The environmental fallout from lithium mining is clear and far-reaching. Massive quantities of fresh water, classified as a precious resource in these arid regions, are diverted for lithium mining operations, fueling the salt flats brine. This leaves local communities and wildlife parched.

Lithium-ion batteries are also said to have a low environmental impact because they do not use substances such as cadmium, lead, and mercury as materials. Substances like cadmium, lead, and mercury have always existed in nature, so they do not have a major impact on the natural environment itself.

Lithium is mined and processed to make it useful. In recent years, there have been reports of unethical activities at lithium mines, such as mistreatment of miners, overuse of freshwater sources and the destruction of local ecosystems.

Electric vehicles are sometimes called "zero-emission vehicles." But the batteries that go into them are not zero-emission at all. In fact, making those batteries takes a lot of (mostly-not-clean) energyand hurts the environment in other ways, a fact that's become common knowledge after widespreadmedia coverage.

Lithium toxicity (overdose) happens when you have too much of the prescription medication lithium in your body. It causes intestinal symptoms (like vomiting and diarrhea) and neurological symptoms (like confusion and uncontrolled shaking). If you don't receive treatment for lithium toxicity, it can be fatal.