Sustainability of Lithium production in Chile

Lithium is the lightest metal on earth – and an important metal. With the inven­tion of lithium batteries, its importance increased rapidly within a very short time. These batteries have significantly influenced the development of computers, mobile phones and many other products. But above all, the advancement of electromobi­lity depends on the availability of powerful lithium batteries. As an electrolyte and electrode material, lithium is one of the most important components of the battery. It is naturally found in the form of white salts such as lithium carbonate and lithium hydro-xide monohydrate, which is also why lithium is often referred to as white gold.

In recent years, its extraction has repeatedly been the subject of critical public debate. There is a misconcep­tion that the raw material is extracted in the same way all over the world. But this is not the case. For SQM, it is important to differentiate the ways in which lithium is extracted and the asso­ciated effects on man and nature. SQM makes its contribution to the current discussions about possible environmental effects of lithium production by showing how it extracts lithium in an ecolo­gically and socially responsible way.

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