Lithium mining from underground brines, such as in Chile’s Salar de Atacama, consumes vast amounts of water—over 1.9 million litres per tonne of lithium extracted.
Lithium mining disturbs native habitats, threatening both plant species and migratory animals. The use of evaporation ponds in the extraction process alters water tables, impacting surrounding ecosystems.
Lithium mining drains water resources essential for agriculture and livestock farming, upon which local communities rely. Additionally, lithium and mining waste can contaminate soil and freshwater sources, further endangering local livelihoods.
Driven by the increasing demand for lithium in batteries for EVs and energy storage, the International Energy Agency expects demand for lithium to increase more than 40 times by 2040 if the world is to meet its Paris Agreement goals.
Sodium is over 1400 times more abundant than lithium. Eco-friendly extraction and processing methods, well-established globally for producing sodium chloride (NaCl) and soda ash (Na2CO3), are already in place. These widely available materials are now being use to create sustainable sodium batteries, offering a more environmentally friendly option in energy storage.
Sodium-based batteries avoid the use of toxic or unethically sourced materials like cobalt, offering a greener and more socially responsible alternative to lithium-ion technologies.