Lithium extraction significantly impacts groundwater levels through multiple mechanisms, depending on the extraction method and regional hydrology:
1. Direct Water Consumption
Traditional evaporative concentration (used in South America’s Lithium Triangle) requires ~2 million liters of water per tonne of lithium, primarily sourced from brine and adjacent freshwater aquifers. The newer direct lithium extraction (DLE) method, while often marketed as water-efficient, has been found to use up to 10 times more water than evaporative methods at some sites, exacerbating groundwater depletion in arid regions like Chile, Argentina, and Bolivia.
2. Aquifer Depletion
Brine extraction lowers water tables by removing subsurface fluids, which can reduce freshwater availability for ecosystems and local communities. In Nevada (U.S.), lithium mining risks altering groundwater flow patterns, potentially drying springs and reducing discharge to surface waters.
3. Salinization and Contamination
Pumping brine can cause salinization of freshwater aquifers through subsurface mixing or accidental brine spills. This renders groundwater unusable for drinking or agriculture without costly desalination.
4. Climate and Compounding Pressures
Mining regions like the Lithium Triangle face prolonged droughts, making groundwater depletion more severe. Overlapping water demands from agriculture, copper mining, and tourism further strain limited resources.
5. Regulatory and Monitoring Challenges
While agencies like Nevada’s NDEP enforce water-use permits for lithium projects, monitoring gaps persist in assessing long-term hydrological impacts, particularly in remote areas with limited baseline data.
These impacts emphasize the need for improved extraction technologies and stricter water-management protocols to mitigate groundwater risks.
Original article by NenPower, If reposted, please credit the source: https://nenpower.com/blog/how-does-lithium-extraction-impact-groundwater-levels/
