Energy storage cannot do without lithium mines

How much lithium can be stored per mass?

The amount of lithium that can be stored per mass of anodic material is directly associated with the energy storage density which is around 372 milliamp hours per gram (mAhg −1) in the case of graphite anodes (Wang et al., 1998).

How can we mitigate negative lithium mining impacts?

Therefore, it is important that impact analyses and action plans to mitigate negative lithium mining impacts are tailored to the local context. Future research could help specify which impacts are particularly context dependent to get a more accurate picture of mining impacts.

Does lithium mining affect the EU energy transition?

However, lithium mining has a high environmental footprint and can have severe social impacts. This research examines the socio-environmental implications of lithium mining for the EU energy transition and identifies leverage points that alleviate tension between justice and security.

Will locals be forced to evict to make room for lithium mining?

Locals fear that they might be forcefully evicted to make room for lithium mining (Kijewski, 2022). In this context, Deberdt and Billon (2021) describe how governments can aim for both a voluntary and a mandatory approach to achieve sustainable extractive practices.

Is lithium a viable secondary resource?

The preliminary study of lithium applications has been essential to identify the most promising secondary resources, mainly waste batteries (for both compositions and availability). The further environmental sustainability assessment has allowed the evaluation of possible scenarios of lithium supply, implementable on the European territory.

Is lithium extraction a 'greater good'?

Green industrial policy has coalesced with the discourse of supply chain security, yet lithium extraction in support of the energy transition carries a high environmental burden as well as negative social impacts that cannot be ignored for the sake of the ‘greater good’ (Hailes, 2022; Kramarz et al., 2021).