Quest for Greener Batteries: Lithium Mining to be a Potential Threat to Flamingos in Chile

Lithium mining is potentially becoming a major threat to flamingos in Chile, as per a new study. The pink birds are said to depend on the ecosystem at the Andes Mountains. However, a combination of climate change and lithium mining is endangering flamingos in the South American country.

The compound lithium is abundant in Chile and its surrounding regions. Due to the rich resources of the compound, increased industrial mining and human activity have been reported in Chile's the Atacama Desert. Lithium is known for generating batteries amid the increasing demand for green technology.

In the quest for greener batteries that are friendly to the environment, lithium mining is posing potential ecological repercussions to the natural habitats and ecosystem of the flamingos. In a bid to fight climate change, lithium has been used as a component for various electric gadgets, equipment, and vehicles.

Flamingos at Risk

(Photo : Aris Messinis/AFP via Getty Images)

In a new study published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B on March 9, biological conservationists and ecologists have worked together to explore the threats posed by lithium mining in the Andes Mountains or the Chilean Andes-where the so-called "Lithium Triangle" is located.

The Lithium Triangle is a vast region containing rich deposits of lithium. It spans between the borders of Chile, Bolivia, and Argentina. In the study, the research team acknowledged that the quest for green technologies or green batteries is affecting several flamingo species in the region.

The findings yielded that lithium mining affects the availability of surface water and natural habitats of flamingos in the Lithium Triangle. The depletion of surface waters can further endanger the pink birds-which is already on the verge of a population decline, as per the study.

Also Read: American Flamingos Sighted Again in Florida After Becoming Rare for 100 Years

Lithium Mining

Amid the continuance of industrialization and globalization of modern technology, man-made methods, including the emission of greenhouse gases to produce oil, gas, and other materials, have contributed to global warming due to climate change.

Over recent years, growing demand for cleaner or green technologies has been proposed to countries, including industrial companies, to quell the greenhouse gas effect and mitigate the repercussions of climate change.

Lithium is one of the many compounds that has been proven to be environmentally and ecologically friendly, as per the BBC. First discovered in 1864, lithium has come a long way in being integrated with today's modern technology.

Yet, the new study suggests that lithium mining is counterintuitive and acts as a double-edged sword since it supports green technology, while at the same time, destroying the ecosystem of animals. Nevertheless, the researchers recommended limiting and slowing down lithium mining operations.

Climate Change

Aside from human activities like lithium mining, expansion of human settlement, and urbanization, climate change is another factor affecting the flamingos in South America. According to the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH), climate change also poses a threat to the flamingos.

The AMNH specified that climate change disturbs the spatial and temporal dynamics of the wetland complex regions that support the flaming populations. Adding lithium mining into the context, the risk is high in the declining population of the flamingos in Chile.