Lithium Mining. How it is impacting your health.

Do you live in a state/country that is mining for lithium? Will this continue (in the US) depending on who is elected?

Photo by Shane McLendon on Unsplash

Lithium is mined for lithium batteries and is used in various devices such as cell phones, tablets, laptops, electric toothbrushes, and tools.

But as I am sure you know, the demand for lithium has increased since most electronics are powered by lithium batteries and due to the push towards EV and renewable energy technologies.

Many “green” sites, such as this one, have informed me that the rise in lithium mining is apparently a good thing even though the mining runoff can be dangerous to the local ecosystem and put harmful chemicals into bodies of water and drain local aquifers due to extensive water usage in the mining process. The article (no author provided) goes on to state that what companies need to do is share the benefits of lithium mining with the local communities.

Hmm. What benefits would you see if they opened a mine in your community?

I shared a video about the water quality and lithium mining in Tennessee and North Carolina the other day in this substack. I finally finished watching that video (over 2 hours long) and this shorter video (18 minutes) on lithium mining for EV batteries and its potential relationship to the dead fish in Missouri.

Where I moved from (CO), it is one of the states that supports transitioning to only EVs by 2030. Thankfully, Tennessee was not of the same mindset.

But to my surprise, large-scale lithium mining is occurring in TN.

Typically, the people who support all of us driving EVs are the same people who think that we need to drive EVs to protect the environment and prevent climate change.

But I am so confused.

Lithium Mining and the Environmental/Human Impact

From watching the videos and reading about lithium mining, it appears that:

• Lithium mining has a significant environmental footprint

• The extraction process mobilizes the soil and releases other toxins into the soil, water, and air, affecting wildlife, cattle/livestock, and humans.

• It is damaging the plants grown in the region's soil and increasing the fluoride content in the water so much that it has been found to cause cattle’s teeth to fall out (even though mainstream medicine will tell you it is suitable for your teeth).

• From the second video link: He talks about the smoke emitting from the mines right near several national and state parks, which may contribute to breathing and respiratory issues, skin and eye irritation, long-term lung damage, and nerve and cognitive problems (that no one will associate with the smoke from the lithium mines). This indicates (to me) that we need more studies on the human impact of lithium mining.

The Biden Administration has supported lithium mining in critical states such as NC and TN, most of which occur in NC. But is it possible that a Trump administration will also support continued lithium mining?

Some of these mines are owned/employed by China/Chinese rather than the US (source-video #1).

Safety Concerns

Fires

Fire is a risk factor of lithium batteries in EVs, and these fires require much more water than a gas-fueled vehicle on fire.

An EV fire will require 20 times more water than a gas-fueled vehicle fire. The fire will also burn longer, emitting more harmful contaminants into the air.

Better for the Environment?

Some people stand by their EVs and believe they are improving the environment with their purchase. Yet the evidence is sorely lacking to support EVs, windmills, or solar power as better fuel sources than fossil fuels.

If everyone were to own an EV, where would the power (electricity required) for the EV charging stations come from?

The push is not just towards EVs as the only vehicle option in the future (IMO). One of the reasons for 15-minute cities would be that you would not own an EV anyway. You would use your “rewards program” to rent one for trips. Thereby decreasing the need for charging stations (electricity) so the argument would go. You could rent the EV with the points you earn for following the rules of society. (Again, how I can see the future may unfold).

I also learned from the second (short) video that AI takes more energy to respond than it would for a human to answer. The person in the video says that this mining has nothing to do with improving the environment but for data centers to fuel artificial intelligence.

Interesting. Has anyone heard of that reasoning before?

Bottom Line

In this post, Anderson does an excellent job of explaining the downstream adverse effects of lithium mining. Our environment continues to increase in toxicity, which means more human health impacts.

Many people still cannot see the connection between their illness, cancer, fatigue, hormonal imbalances, and so forth with the fake food, sugar, and seed oils they consume. They cannot see the connection between the weed killer they use on their lawn, the chemical and fragrance-laden products on their skin, and their health issues.

What is the answer to lithium mining? Decrease the need for AI and EVs?

Whatever the results of this election, we will need to continue fighting

for our health.

Stay safe today and the next few days if you live in the US.

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