In Chilean desert, global thirst for lithium is fueling a 'water war'
ReutersAugust 29, 2018
A global boom in demand for lithium has set off a scramble in Chile, which is home to nearly 50 percent of the world's reserves of the metal.
Local indigenous groups, SQM and Albemarle, regional copper miners and newcomers to the region are all competing for water.
"What we have is a water war in the salt pan. There's a huge crush on water and nowhere to get it from," said Alonso Barros, an attorney with the Atacama Desert Foundation, an NGO that works with indigenous groups in the region.
SQM and Albemarle both recently signed deals with the government to sharply increase their quotas for extracting lithium from the Salar, although they say they will not use any more water than they have already been granted. Newcomers like Wealth Minerals, New Energy Metals, and Lithium Chile have also announced projects in the salt flats.
Wealth Minerals, New Energy Metals and Lithium Chile did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
