Lithium
Often called “white gold”, lithium is essential for making batteries for electric cars and energy storage.
With its vast salt flats like the Atacama Desert, Chile is one of the top lithium producers. The country’s conditions make it ideal for cheap extraction. However, as global demand has risen, Chile has faced environmental and social problems.
Extracting lithium requires a lot of water in one of the world’s driest areas, causing tension with local communities relying on this water. In response, Chile has started to enforce stricter rules on the lithium industry and manage natural resources more sustainably. They are also working closely with indigenous and local communities to ensure that lithium mining is profitable and socially and environmentally responsible.