en.Wedoany.com Reported - The growing demand for critical minerals such as lithium in the energy transition is prompting deep reflection within and beyond the industry on the environmental and social costs of large-scale extraction. The electrification of transportation, the deployment of renewable energy, and the widespread use of rechargeable batteries have turned lithium, once a relatively marginal resource, into a key element supporting a low-carbon economy. However, the process of obtaining it also poses a challenge.
Lithium extraction presents a complex paradox. It is estimated that producing one ton of lithium requires up to 2 million liters of water, while most of the global lithium supply comes from arid regions known as the "Lithium Triangle" (Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile), where the evaporation method is used to extract lithium from underground brine. This method raises concerns about high-altitude aquifers and wetland ecosystems, which are vital for biodiversity and communities dependent on scarce water resources. For example, in Chile's Atacama Desert, related extraction activities have drawn the attention of environmentalists.
Similar tensions exist in Europe. In Cáceres, Spain, the San José de Valdeflórez lithium project faces strong social opposition due to its proximity to urban areas and potential environmental impacts, although the project has shifted to underground mining and plans to adopt emission-reduction technologies. In Portugal, the lithium project in Covas do Barroso, in the Barroso region, has sparked protests from local residents and environmentalists because the area is recognized by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) as a traditional agricultural and pastoral system, despite the Portuguese government viewing the project as a national strategic asset.
Ester Boixereu, a geologist and researcher at the Geological and Mining Institute of Spain (IGME-CSIC), points out that we are currently experiencing a technological paradigm shift, requiring the replacement of technologies based on burning fossil fuels with rechargeable battery technology. She states that the problem is that this shift requires a large amount of materials, and lithium-ion technology is currently the most industrially and commercially viable option. She emphasizes that enough lithium must be mined from the ground to manufacture new batteries, but also notes that in recent years, European mining has made progress in environmental sustainability, and in the long term, the global benefits of replacing hydrocarbons with renewable energy technologies are beyond doubt.
The reliance on minerals like lithium has extended the discussion from the climate domain to the geopolitical sphere. China dominates key segments of the global battery value chain, including material refining and final manufacturing. Europe, through initiatives like the European Critical Raw Materials Act, seeks to reduce dependence and promote projects deemed strategically important for securing supply. However, Pedro Fresco, General Director of the Valencian Association of Energy Sector Companies (Avaesen), believes it is contradictory to talk about strategic autonomy while being unwilling to obtain minerals within one's own borders. He points out that the issue is not mining itself, but how it is carried out; Europe has strict environmental regulations that can ensure extraction with minimal impact. He also warns that social resistance is not unique to lithium; renewable energy, transmission lines, and other infrastructure face similar situations, and lithium production can be managed through transparency, participation, and benefit-sharing to mitigate impacts on extraction areas.
Lithium recycling is technically feasible, but Pedro Fresco notes that it is not typically carried out in Spain; instead, lithium-containing waste is exported, and it will take decades to build recycling infrastructure of sufficient scale. Meanwhile, alternatives such as sodium batteries are emerging. Óscar Miguel Crespo, Deputy Director of CIDETEC Energy Storage, states that sodium batteries can eliminate dependence on critical metals like lithium, cobalt, or nickel. He explains that sodium is abundant and not considered a critical raw material, but the technology is still in its early stages, with lower energy density, making it difficult to fully replace lithium. It may find applications in stationary energy storage systems or small urban vehicles, helping to reduce reliance on lithium, but not completely replace it.
Europe is enhancing supply chain transparency through digital tools. The EU plans to introduce a digital battery passport from 2027 for certain battery categories, providing information on material sources, recycling content, and environmental footprint via QR codes. IGME-CSIC researcher Ester Boixereu believes this measure can enhance European competitiveness and prevent products manufactured in regions with lax environmental or labor regulations from competing on price with European products. Pedro Fresco warns that this tool could become either a competitive advantage or a purely bureaucratic exercise, and its impact will depend on proper implementation.
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