In search of ‘Lithium Valley’

Why energy companies see riches in the California desert. Underneath the Salton Sea, California’s vast lithium reserve might be the opportunity for a ‘once in a lifetime’ green transition in the area, but the local communities are hesitant to trust this claim. Aaron Miguel Cantú explores. "Global demand for lithium, a metal vital for the batteries in electric cars and computer electronics, is projected to grow by 40 times in the next 20 years as renewable technologies become more ubiquitous. The earth deep below the southern Salton Sea is rich in hot, mineral-abundant brine that contains some of the world’s largest deposits of lithium, and Colwell and others envision a “Lithium Valley” that would establish California as a global production hub and employ thousands of workers for generations to come."