There's Lithium in the Wasteland

Photo taken at Bombay Beach in 2020 by the author

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Lately, I’ve been reading about the proposal of mining for lithium at the Salton Sea. Lithium is an important resource because it is used in batteries for electric cars and is an important piece of the puzzle for a more sustainable future. It turns out the Salton Sea is a massive source of lithium and will likely become one of the nation’s first lithium mines.

The Salton Sea is a toxic lake located in Imperial Valley in Southern California. The Salton Sea was created in the early 1900s by an accidental influx of water from the Colorado River. In its heyday, it was a resort for the rich and famous. But, mass amounts of agricultural runoff dramatically increased the salinity of the water, making it nearly impossible for it to sustain life and transforming the area into a wasteland.

I have mixed views on this issue. Of course, the production of electric cars is crucial for a more sustainable future. This could also bring jobs to a place that has consistently been one of the most impoverished areas in the country. However, it may also lead to increased health risks for the community. The members of this community already live in a highly polluted area and suffer the health consequences of breathing in the toxins of the Salton Sea. For instance, “asthma-related emergency room visits are more than double the state average and nearly a third of children experience respiratory symptoms like wheezing, allergies, and dry cough” (Carelton, 2021). Mining will only exacerbate these health risks.

Furthermore, this mine could change the area around the Salton Sea and cause it to lose much of its charm. Despite being a “wasteland,” it is a haven for artists and lovers of freedom. Bombay Beach, for example, is full of unique works of art that anonymous artists have placed in the sand. There are also many abandoned buildings that have been painted and transformed into some version of art museums throughout the area. I worry that some of these precious abandoned buildings may be torn down. I think it is important for some areas to just be allowed to be wastelands, abandoned and forgotten in time. Some areas should just exist as they are, as a sort of time capsule or simply for the sake of art without always having to be transformed into something new for financial gain.

Moreover, located near the Salton Sea is Slab City, the off-the-grid community nicknamed “the last free place in America.” Slab City is important because it serves as a haven for many who do not fit in or feel welcomed by society and is one of the few places where you are allowed to exist and occupy a space for free. Slab City thrives because it is in the middle of nowhere. I fear that the massive lithium mine will bring in an influx of people to the area and change the culture. It may also make it more expensive to live around the Salton Sea, which is exactly what the residents of Slab City are trying to escape from.

Works Cited

Carleton, Audrey. “An Incredibly Toxic Lake Will Become One of the US' First Lithium Mines.” VICE, 12 July 2021, https://www.vice.com/en/article/epn5j7/an-incredibly-toxic-lake-will-become-one-of-the-uss-first-lithium-mines.

Cart, Julie. “Will California's Desert, Salton Sea Be Transformed into Lithium Valley?” The Desert Sun, Palm Springs Desert Sun, 26 Feb. 2021, https://www.desertsun.com/story/tech/science/energy/2021/02/26/california-technically-and-commercially-feasible-extract-lithium-brine-geothermal-plants-already-pul/6839875002/.