Lithium Discovery and Counting the Cost

India announced the discovery of some 5.9M tonnes of lithium in deposits under Jammu and Kashmir. Experts say the deposits will help India increase private vehicle electrification by 30% before 2030, as well as ease the nation's reliance on Australia and Argentina for lithium imports.

According to the World Bank, the mining of critical minerals like lithium will need to increase 500% by 2050 to meet global targets. Some question EVs' environmental soundness, considering the impact of lithium mining and processing. 

By the numbers. It’s hard to pinpoint an exact number regarding EV emissions, but some factors are data-backed and can be considered. 

• According to data from 2019, 40% of an EV's lifetime environmental impact comes from battery material mining. 
• EVs produce less than half the emissions of an ICE vehicle, but they are not carbon-neutral. Until energy production moves away from things like natural gas (40%) and coal (19.36%), EVs will still "produce" carbon as a cost of operation. 
• Considering EVs' drastic front-end carbon cost, one research group says it takes 21K miles to break even. In contrast, another group says it could be up to 94K miles before the mining emissions are balanced out by the lower operating carbon cost. 

Beyond the numbers. The impact of lithium mining extends beyond carbon. Natural resources, such as water, are exhausted in mining regions, leaving indigenous communities without. Drained resources and the devastating impact on the local ecosystem mean once an area has been mined, it is no longer suitable for much else.

‍Apples to Oranges. Lithium mining is not unique in its impact on the environment, all mining takes a toll. But compared to more traditional avenues such as coal mining, it is much cleaner and more efficient, with untapped possibilities. In fact, lithium can be obtained without mining at all. Geothermal power plants produce lithium as a byproduct, and one projection says 40% of the world's future need for the mineral could be met as a byproduct of geothermal power produced by the Salton Sea Geothermal Field.