Lithium Extraction at the Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia: 'Dirty business for clean energy' emancipates Bolivia from 'curse' ?

AbstructLithium is a key global resource of efficient batteries used in electronic devices (ex.smart phone, electric car, etc.).But its booming demand threatens to contaminate one of the world's great wonders, the Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia, which holds 70% of the world's lithium reserves.The present government of Bolivia wants to extract lithium and to create the processing industry within Bolivia.However the plans lack a consciousness about social and environmental costs.The water scarcity around the Salar de Uyuni being ignored, the high water consumption of lithium plant would deprive indigenous communities of their traditional income measures: quinoa and pastoral farming.In addition, with little concern for the environmental effects of using toxic materials, widespread pollutions would put the flora and fauna at risk.Destroying the people's environment, the lithium strategy contradicts the principle of 'vivir bien' (live well) and the 'rights of mother earth'.In this paper, the environmental problematique of lithium extraction in Bolivia is cleared and the way of solving problems is suggested.