Lithium batteries power your world. How much do you really know about them?

At the crest of the Andes in Southwestern Bolivia lies a searing white salt flat called the Salar de Uyuni. Characterized by its vast mirror-like surfaces and dry atmosphere, the flat hides beneath it a precious alkali metal that powers much of the modern world. 

The Salar de Uyuni is situated in the Lithium Triangle, comprising Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile. The region boasts the largest reserves of lithium in the world, which make up the lithium-ion batteries that boot up the electronic devices used by billions around the globe. 

Lithium-ion batteries are rechargeable and used in electric vehicles, smartphones, laptops, electric toothbrushes, and other items. The batteries have several advantages, which make them a market leader over alternatives. 

A 2021 report in Nature projected the market for lithium-ion batteries to grow from $30 billion in 2017 to $100 billion in 2025.

Lithium ion batteries are the backbone of electric vehicles like Teslas, and are considered low maintenance since they don’t need scheduled cycling to maintain their battery life. They also have extremely high energy densities and voltage, and store renewable energy such as solar and wind power.

“The big impetus for using lithium-ion batteries is for the electric vehicles that will reduce our dependence on fossil fuels,” says Linda Gaines, transportation systems analyst at the Argonne National Laboratory. “It takes a lot of energy and a lot of resources to produce the vehicles themselves and in particular the batteries.”

Given the emissions emitted by the transportation sector every year, she argues these batteries are worth the environmental cost. But some remain concerned about the cost to the planet and to ourselves. 

Are lithium-ion batteries environmentally friendly? 

Despite their advantages, scientists face a quandary when it comes to the environmental impact of lithium-ion batteries. While it is true that these batteries facilitate renewable energy and produce fewer carbon emissions, it is not without drawbacks. 

The process of actually obtaining the lithium via mining is destructive to the environment. The question that remains: how to justify the destruction and contamination left by mining in exchange for the precious minerals that enable the green economy.

Because lithium has a small atomic weight and radius, the batteries have a high voltage and charge storage per unit mass and unit volume. 

The Department of Energy states “While the battery is discharging and providing an electric current, the anode releases lithium ions to the cathode, generating a flow of electrons from one side to the other. When plugging in the device, the opposite happens: Lithium ions are released by the cathode and received by the anode.”

One method engineers use to extract lithium is brine extraction, which involves drilling into an underground brine deposit and then pumping the saltwater up to the surface. Then, the brine is sent to evaporation ponds where the water content evaporates, leaving a lithium concentrate that is then extracted.

However, accounts from the Lithium Triangle about the adverse environmental effects of mining are grave. 

Euronew.com reports that, “The production of lithium through evaporation ponds uses a lot of water—around 21 million liters per day.”

In highly arid parts of South America where mining occurs, water—a scarce resource—is diverted away from the local communities and into mining operations, which causes serious contamination from sulfuric acid and sodium hydroxide, as well as water scarcity issues. 

According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, “Community members argue that depleted water levels in wells, lagoons, groundwater, and wetlands have had detrimental impacts on their agro-pastoral practices, and they have observed increased mortality of flamingos and camelids because of dust pollution resulting from mining activities.”

Are lithium batteries safe?

Lithium batteries are generally considered safe for people and homes, and operate accordingly as long as there isn’t a defect with the battery. Though these kinds of failures are uncommon, lithium ion batteries have caught on fire before. Zheng Chen, nanotechnology professor at the University of California San Diego, notes an instance where a cell phone caught fire on a flight. Teslas too, have caught on fire. In an energy storage station in Monterey, California, lithium batteries themselves have caught fire. 

When the battery is burning, there will be heat, pressure, and toxic gas released from evaporation. When mixed with wind, those gasses can spread into communities where people live. 

“This can be a concern if there is not a good mitigation strategy in designing these systems. 

There have been a few incidents where electric vehicles have caught fire in garages. These are not common, but they have happened.” says Chen. 

Chen is not convinced that all risk can be eliminated. “Mechanical damage can occur even if we don’t expect it.” 

To mitigate this risk, The Occupational Safety and Health Administration advises consumers to “remove lithium-powered devices and batteries from the charger once they are fully charged, and store lithium batteries and devices in dry, cool locations.” Also, consumers should “inspect the batteries for signs of damage, and if present, remove it from any area containing flammable material.”