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Do you know how important the mining industry is in America? The extraction of minerals and other raw materials has impacted in a positive way in the U.S. cities development and also its exports. California plays a huge role because it’s the state with the most active mines in the country. So, mining is an important aspect for the strategic use of natural resources and it is also considered a piece of the economic development. However, there’s the endless debate on sustainability and the negative impact of mining activity.
The environment and many communities near mines, have always been dameged by mining activities
. So, let’s see what’s happening with this situation and if California is taking action on this issue.
Mining in California
California is one of the most important states for the U.S. economic development and the mining industry, but it’s also beneficial for the state of California. Let’s talk about numbers.
In 2018, there were 739 active mines in California producing 23 different types of minerals such as: construction minerals (gravel, sand and stones), boron (used in detergents), rare earth (used in batteries and screens) and gold (a classic in California mining).
In 2020, this activity made a huge impact on California. It created more than 99,000 jobs, generated $7.3 billion in labour income with $13.6 billion in GDP (Gross Domestic Product).
California, a good example of this activity
California has some strict laws about the environment by focusing on making the least negative impact on the environment as possible, what do they do to achieve this? When they finish with a mine, the company in charge of the extraction must restore the place to its original natural state or as similar as possible. This will avoid toxic and dangerous landscapes and it also makes California mining one of the most sustainable in the world.
Salton Sea is a big issue
The Salton Sea might not be very well known, but it’s very important for the environment. This place is a landlocked lake in the south of California where many people visited as a tourist attraction, but now is considered an environmental disaster. Let’s see why.
The lake has been drying up with the passage of time and some parts of the lake bed have been exposed and emitting toxic dust, heavy metals and carcinogen substances. Due to this situation, many people who live near this place are risking their health.
Salton Sea, also a golden opportunity
This place is seen as a great opportunity to improve the economic situation and mining industry in the U.S., but how can this be possible if we have just explained the horrible environmental situation the lake is experiencing? Well, this place is full of
lithium
(18 million tonnes) in the salt groundwater and this mineral is essential for manufacturing batteries.
So, now you know why there’s a huge interest in this dried lake, they can extract lots of lithium and make many electric cars, mobile phones and laptops, among the many devices.
Making extractions greener
To cause the least damage possible to the environment while extracting lithium, a new advanced technology is being developed, the ILiAD (Integrated Lithium Adsorption Desorption).
This technology uses a process of pumping hot water with dissolved lithium from the subsoil, this water passes through intelligent filters that catch only the lithium. Then, the mineral is released in its pure state to use it for battery making. Finally, the water without the lithium is reinjected in the subsoil.
Is this beneficial for the U.S.?
Of course! If this technology is used, the U.S. won’t need to buy lithium from other countries like China, Chile or Australia. Currently, the U.S. produces less than 1% of the lithium in the world, so ILiAD will mean the independence of foreign lithium and thousands of job opportunities.
Thanks to this project, the mining activity could continue and it will also be greener. This could be a role model for the entire world and more mining activities will be less harmful for our planet. Everybody wins!
