Lithium mines leech water from surrounding communities. Soon, they’ll run dry

A lithium deposit beneath the Salton Sea is bringing droves of mine developers to California’s Imperial County — and they may have a devastating impact on the county's natural resources. Inside Climate News reports that lithium mines' water demands, combined with the scarcity of water in Imperial County, may lead to water bill spikes for residents who already face high unemployment rates. 

There are about 100 proposed mining projects in the United States, two-thirds of which are adjacent to economically and socially vulnerable communities, according to an analysis by Columbia Journalism Investigations and Inside Climate News of demographic measures. Imperial County has greenlit two. 

Inside Climate News reports:

Across the West, the lithium boom is on a collision course with climate-driven declines in rivers and aquifers. Federal data shows that almost all proposed or developing lithium projects are in counties where risk of drought is expected to rise sharply—much more so than in most of the nation. Nearly six in 10 are in places where drought is projected to cause some of the most severe impacts. 

A recent study concludes that most lithium mining areas won’t have enough water by mid-century to meet the industry’s demands.