Mina de Montalegre e primeira refinaria de lítio em Portugal aprovadas pela APA

Lithium extraction and the environmental impact
Globally, the most important Lithium-production sites are in South America (Chile and Argentina). In large salt lakes, Lithium carbonate is produced through evaporation and washing with sodium carbonate in large scale polyvinyl chloride (PVC)—lined shallow ponds (Garrett 2004). To a lesser extend, spodumene ores as the main Lithium carrier are mined, for example, in Western Australia. In contrast to ore mining, environmental impacts of evaporative Lithium extraction are little understood but must be carefully evaluated.

A good example to illustrate side effects of Lithium extraction is the Bolivian salt pan Salar de Uyuni, harboring the world’s second largest but untouched Lithium reserve (∼5.4 million tonnes; USGS 2008). The salt pan is occasionally flooded by the Rio Grand river of Uyuni that provides freshwater for agriculture in the region (Messerli et al. 1997). In addition, the river and the Salar create an important but fragile habitat for the native biodiversity. Due to its natural beauty, the lake is the most visited tourist attraction in Bolivia and is considered to be one of the major income sources for the local people (Aguilar-Fernandez 2009).

Lithium processing in this region may cause changes in freshwater availability and water pollution with severe consequences for human health and native biodiversity. PVC barriers for the evaporation basins may leak chemical substances such as softeners into the environment. An evaluation of PVC drinking water pipes revealed that various compounds pose severe reproductive and functional health concerns to humans (Stern 2006). Chemical leakage may be worse for material involved in Lithium extraction and not related to human consumption. It has also been shown that aquatic diversity in the Neotropics is strongly affected by water pollution (Barletta et al. 2010), landscape modifications, and introduced sediments (Donohue & Molinos 2009). Negative effects on native biodiversity may have far-reaching consequences, also reflecting back onto local people. For example, the experimental reduction of flamingos feeding on cyanobacteria in Salar de Uyuni (Bauld 1981) changed ecosystem structure by increasing microbial biomass (Hurlbert & Chang 1983). While toxicity of cyanobacteria in hypersaline habitats is little understood, a survey across saltwater habitats in the US revealed that 85% of all species produced detectable levels of microcystins (Hudnell 2008). Microcystin, a toxin produced by various cyanobacteriae can have fatal consequences for humans and biodiversity (Chen et al. 2009; Hamilton 2009). As such, Lithium extraction will only benefit the poorest South American country (as suggested by Aguilar-Fernandez 2009), if impacts on the environment, biodiversity, and human health are taken into consideration. Moreover, it has to be assured that exploitative strategies, as seen during the past silver extraction in Bolivia, are not repeated.

Apart from evaporitic sequences, Lithium is also mined from pegmatite ores, for example, in Zimbabwe and Canada. Processing of spodumene, the main Lithium carrier in magmatic rocks is cost and energy consuming because the Lithium-incorporating silicates must be separated and then mostly transformed into carbonates for further processing. For ore mining and processing in general, environmental impacts such as physical land rearrangements (which can interfere with ground water carrying soil layers) and waste products (tail water from the mining sides often contain high concentrations of toxic compounds) are well documented and require proper management actions (Bridge 2004). Shocking examples come from eastern Africa, where mismanaged gold mining has lead to exorbitant mercury concentrations in rivers threatening aquatic diversity and downstream communities. There, mining workers are also suffering major health impacts from inhalation of siliceous dust and increasing malaria risk (Ogola et al. 2002). In collaboration with realistic conservation managers, it is the responsibility of mining companies to apply sustainable mining practice including suitable (i.e., low impact) extraction technology.

The environmental impact of evaporation ponds may be lower than that of Lithium or gold ore mining. Nevertheless, it is crucial to include environmental aspects in the discussion of how to sustainably manage Lithium resources with recycling and additional technologies.

https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1755-263X.2011.00166.x

tira as palas enquanto lês, coisas crediveis e não biased.

Zé Fonseca A. esquece.. por mais provas que tenhas para certa gente que parece só ver dinheiro isto vale 0.
O minério sempre foi razão de guerras, pobreza e desastres ambientais, agora é que vai ser melhor… poupem-me

Então o melhor é deixar de usar tecnologia como telemóveis e todo o tipo de gadgets que usam litio, senão acaba por ser considerado um cúmplice desse crime ambiental.

Já agora, eu vivo perto de minas, a mais perto é de materiais que são usados em casas e estradas, devo-me opor a isso e desejar que acabem com a construção de casas e estradas ?

Como querias que fosse distribuido para o povo? Ia o pessoal todo para a porta da mina para ir buscar o dinheiro?
O sistema democrático tem as suas falhas mas os munícipes sempre podem protestar e até votar noutro se acharem que o dinheiro está a ser mal investido.

“Como querias que fosse distribuido para o povo?”
Em vez de optar pelo modelo Africano, se optassem pelo modelo Norueguês eu ainda seria contra a mina, mas seria no mínimo mais justo.