April 9, 2025

Mining that fuels the global transition to renewable energy may threaten Indigenous communities

A group of men stand around a table intently watching a seated man who talks expressively. The standing men wear traditional Peruvian clothing and accessories. — A staffer from the Indian Law Resource Center, which Mott supports, speaks to Indigenous leaders at the lithium mining summit. Photo: Courtesy of the Indian Law Resource Center

Electric vehicles and battery-powered technologies that don’t burn fossil fuels help reduce air pollution that contributes to climate change, but mining for lithium — essential for these batteries — is causing social and environmental challenges in parts of South America.

A map of the area where Bolivia, Chile and Argentina come together. Salt flats labeled Uyuni, Atacama, Olaroz, Salinas Grandes and Salar de Hombre Muerto are circled and collectively called the Lithium Triangle. — Lithium deposits are found in salt flats located in Argentina, Bolivia and Chile. The area has become known as the lithium triangle. Peru also has substantial lithium deposits. Map: Courtesy of Yale Environment 360

Lithium mines scar the landscape and use large amounts of water, which can leave nearby communities without adequate supplies of clean water. Concern about those issues is especially prevalent in South America’s so-called lithium triangle, which encompasses parts of Argentina, Chile and Bolivia. There is also growing concern about mining in Peru.

Over 200 people from Indigenous communities in the lithium triangle and Peru recently gathered in the Jujuy Province of Argentina, for a summit focused on addressing problems caused by lithium mining. The event was organized by the Indian Law Resource Center, which the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation supports.

“This was the first time Indigenous peoples affected by lithium mining have gathered to discuss their concerns, share their experiences, learn lessons from other communities and discuss joint actions to undertake together, as a cohesive group,” said Leonardo A. Crippa, a senior attorney at the Indian Law Resource Center.

Over 200 leaders of Indigenous communities in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile and Peru gathered at the lithium mining summit. Photo: Courtesy of the Indian Law Resource Center

The lithium triangle contains the world’s largest supply of lithium, but some deposits of the valuable mineral are located on the ancestral lands of Indigenous communities. According to Indigenous leaders and scientists, lithium mining can threaten fragile ecosystems in the salt flats where the mineral is found, drain the region’s scarce water resources and fail to improve the quality of life of local communities.

Daniela Gomes Pinto, a program officer on Mott’s Environment team, said local communities are urging government agencies to better protect the rights of Indigenous communities and hold mining companies accountable. She said responsible mining is crucial to protect both communities and ecosystems.

“There are consultation protocols, safeguards and accountability standards designed to ensure that communities in developing countries are protected from the harmful effects of mining and other development projects,” Gomes Pinto said. “These social and environmental protections must be respected and enforced.”

Discussions at the summit were informed by presentations from Indigenous leaders, staff from the Indian Law Resource Center and officials from the U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. The event culminated with all Indigenous delegations at the gathering signing the Andean Summit Declaration.

The declaration states, in part, that “Indigenous peoples, in full exercise of our collective rights to self-determination and collective ownership of the lands under the possession of our communities, have absolute power to decide on any activities that affect, in one way or another, our communities, lands, territories and natural resources.”

The declaration calls on mining companies and the government agencies that regulate them to comply with international laws and policies that protect communities in developing countries from harmful infrastructure and mining projects.

“Indigenous communities refuse to be part of an energy transition that generates territorial dispossession, pollution and loss of water sources,” said Jimena Cruz Mamani, a representative of the Council of Atacameño Peoples in Chile, in a press release.

A view from space shows large blue and green ponds in a mountain setting, surrounded by what appears to be dark sands on one side and light sands on the other. — Large settling ponds at a lithium mine in Argentina as seen from space. This photo was taken from the International Space Station, which orbits 266 miles above the Earth’s surface. Photo: Courtesy of NASA

Lithium mining is a water-intensive industry, and the mines in South America are located in sprawling salt flats, where water is scarce. Mining companies extract large amounts of groundwater containing traces of lithium and store it in massive ponds, where the valuable metal settles out. After processing, that lithium becomes part of the rechargeable batteries used in a wide array of consumer items and high-tech devices, from cell phones to wind turbines.

The growth of lithium mining in South America has sparked widespread protests, some of which led to violence. In 2024, police attacked Indigenous peoples participating in an anti-mining protest in Jujuy.

Crippa said the fact that the recent summit attracted so many Indigenous leaders to the community where the protest took place was a testament to their courage and determination to protect their land and rights.

A large group of men and women is seated around a table having a discussion. Many wear traditional Peruvian clothing and most wear light colored hats with bands. One man takes notes on a laptop. — As a result of the summit, Indigenous leaders from communities in four South American countries are now working together to address concerns about lithium mining. Photo: Courtesy of the Indian Law Resource Center

“These communities are coming together, rallying their strength, finding common cause with their neighbors from Bolivia, Peru and Chile, and speaking up,” he said.

The controversy surrounding lithium mining is not likely to go away. The lithium triangle contains about 60% of all identified lithium on the planet. The price of lithium has soared in recent years as consumers have purchased more devices powered by rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. The International Energy Agency predicts demand for lithium will increase 40-fold by 2040.

The energy transition is essential for a sustainable future, and lithium remains a key component in achieving it. Still, Gomes Pinto said this transition must not come at the expense of Indigenous rights or the environmental integrity of the regions where they live.

“These communities inhabit regions of global environmental significance, rich in unique biodiversity and cultural heritage,” Gomes Pinto said. “Only through a balanced approach can we secure both a cleaner energy future and the well-being of local communities living in these vital landscapes.”