Lithium, the star mineral of the electric vehicle and mobile device era, has become a highly coveted resource worldwide. However, in South America, where some of the largest reserves are located, its extraction has sparked a complex conflict. Lithium in South America and its impact on Indigenous Peoples is a reality that cannot be ignored if we are to protect rights, territories, and sustainability. While governments and corporations view this "white gold" as key to a green future, Indigenous Peoples warn of environmental damage and the threat to their ways of life, demanding a development model that respects both the environment and their ancestral rights.
In the "Lithium Triangle," which includes parts of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, and Peru, more than 200 indigenous leaders raised their voices to protect their territories and ways of life during the First Andean Intercultural Summit of Communities Affected by Lithium Exploitation. The summit, held January 17-19 in Jujuy, Argentina, took place as the world races to secure its supply of this strategic mineral.
The Lithium Triangle: Can the Green Rush be Fair and Sustainable?
In the heart of South America, a vast region known as the "Lithium Triangle" has become the epicenter of a new gold rush. Argentina, Bolivia and Chile hold 60% of the world's lithium reserves, a mineral vital to the global energy transition. But the growing demand for lithium has unleashed a "white fever" that threatens to leave a deep scar on the region's indigenous rights, ecological balance, and water security.
The Lithium Dilemma: A Green Future at the Cost of Water?
Imagine traveling along Chile's Route 27, which climbs to 4,800 meters above sea level, where the air turns thin and breathing becomes difficult. Here, on the border with Argentina, the landscape transforms into a mosaic of volcanoes, colorful lagoons and blinding white salt flats. This is the gateway to the "Lithium Triangle," a region spanning Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile that contains 60% of the world's reserves of the mineral, which is essential to the global energy transition.
The world urgently needs to shift to cleaner energy sources to combat climate change. Electric vehicles and renewable energy storage, technologies that rely on lithium, are key pillars of this transition. Demand for lithium has skyrocketed and is expected to continue to grow exponentially in the coming decades.
By 2030, it is estimated that there will be 125 million electric cars worldwide, up from just 3 million in 2017. Companies such as BMW have already announced that half of their vehicles will be fully electric by that time.
However, there is a downside to this green rush. Lithium mining in the Lithium Triangle takes place primarily on salt flats in the Andean deserts, which are of great importance for biodiversity, and in some cases over Andean wetlands, which provide water for the entire region. The process consumes vast amounts of water, a scarce resource in these arid areas. Each ton of lithium extracted uses up to 2 million liters of water, drawn from the very watersheds that provide water to indigenous peoples and local communities.
This excessive water use threatens agriculture, livestock and the livelihoods of communities that depend on these fragile ecosystems. In addition, lithium mining can contaminate water sources with chemicals and heavy metals, threatening human health and the region's biodiversity.
Indigenous Resistance: Voices Rising for Water and Life
In the face of this situation, indigenous peoples and local communities living at the edges of the lithium triangle are organizing and resisting. More than 200 indigenous leaders raised their voices in defense of their territories and ways of life at the First Andean Intercultural Summit of Communities Affected by Lithium Mining, held January 17-19 in the province of Jujuy, Argentina.
The meeting, supported by the Indian Law Resource Center, was attended by representatives of indigenous communities affected by lithium mining in the four countries. Representatives from each of these communities spoke about the difficult realities they face in their territories and expressed their unanimous rejection of the serious environmental, social and cultural impacts caused by lithium mining. With regard to the environmental impact, they noted that mining activities have led to a worrying water shortage due to excessive water consumption by companies without effective control by governments.
They do not oppose the energy transition, but demand that it be equitable and sustainable, respecting their rights and protecting their territories.
The summit addressed the critical situation of communities in the so-called "Lithium Triangle," a cross-border region between Argentina, Bolivia and Chile that contains the world's largest reserves of lithium.
Tension hangs in the air in Jujuy, Argentina. The indigenous peoples of the Salinas Grandes, where lithium mining has already begun, have been organizing for more than 15 years to resist projects they see as a threat to their survival. Signs with messages such as "The only thing I know is that you can't drink lithium" have been placed along the roads since 2023, when the strongest protests and blockades took place due to the lack of attention paid to the community's demands. The Jujuy constitutional reform of June 2023, which limited the rights of indigenous peoples, fueled fears of forced displacement.
The Salinas Grandes and the Guayatayoc Lagoon in Jujuy are a clear example of this conflict. Lithium mining in the area threatens to dry up the water sources that indigenous communities need to survive. The production of lithium carbonate requires the extraction of brine, which is then evaporated, consuming large amounts of water. This process not only threatens communities' access to water, but also the region's biodiversity.
In Chile, the Atacama communities of the Salar de Atacama, the world's second-largest lithium producer, are fighting the degradation of their environment and the loss of their water sources.
"We don't want to be part of an energy transition that leads to territorial dispossession," says a representative of the Atacameño Peoples Council.
The Salar de Atacama has been exploited since the 1980s, with significant environmental impacts on the area and its communities. Lithium mining has led to a decline in wildlife, the destruction of wetlands, and the loss of access to ancestral water sources. Indigenous communities denounce the lack of consultation and violation of their rights.
In Bolivia, communities from the Salar de Uyuni, the largest lithium deposit in the world, are mobilizing to defend water, biodiversity, and their right to prior, free, and informed consultation. They fear that industrial lithium mining will repeat the mistakes of Chile and Argentina.
The Salar de Uyuni is a unique and fragile ecosystem. The indigenous communities that depend on it fear that large-scale lithium extraction will contaminate water sources, harm biodiversity, and damage tourism, an important source of income for the region. In addition, there are concerns about the lack of transparency in the government's plans for lithium extraction and the country's ability to responsibly manage production waste.
Towards a just and sustainable transition: The path of dialogue and cooperation
The "lithium rush" presents a global challenge: How can we ensure a just and sustainable energy transition that respects the rights of indigenous peoples and protects the environment?
The answer lies in dialogue, cooperation and the search for innovative solutions. Governments, businesses, indigenous communities and civil society must work together to build an energy future that benefits all.
Some solutions are being explored:
Prior, free and informed consultation: Ensuring the effective participation of indigenous communities in decision-making about lithium mining projects.
More sustainable extraction technologies: Researching and developing lithium extraction methods that reduce water consumption and environmental impact.
Economic Diversification: Promoting alternative economic activities in indigenous communities, such as community-based tourism and sustainable agriculture.
Strengthening indigenous institutions: Supporting capacity building for indigenous communities to manage their territories and resources.
The future of the Lithium Triangle is at stake. The struggle of indigenous peoples reminds us that the energy transition cannot come at the expense of their rights and the environment. A balance must be struck between the need for lithium for a green future and the protection of the ecosystems and communities that depend on it. The "white rush" for lithium must give way to a "just transition" where clean energy is built with respect, dialogue and social justice.
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