Bolivia Lithium Mining

Lithium mining operations are visible at Salar de Uyuni, the world’s largest salt flat in Bolivia. The white surface surrounding these evaporation ponds is the natural color of the salt flats. Lithium is a reactive alkali metal primarily used to create lithium-ion batteries, which power everything from smartphones to electric vehicles. The mining process begins by drilling and pumping water into holes in the salt flats to bring salty, mineral-rich brines to the surface. The brine is left in pools to evaporate for months, creating a mixture of minerals that are continuously filtered until enough lithium carbonate can be extracted.

-20.563929°, -67.376575°

Maxar