ABSTRACT
Because of its potential to serve as a substitute for oil and its role as a promising element for climate change mitigation, interest in lithium is growing. As a widespread technological shift to vehicles that run on lithium batteries would help reduce global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, in the coming years global demand for lithium is expected to increase in step with an expanding market for electric vehicles. 2 A boom in lithium demand would carry both the promise of financial prosperity and socio-economic challenges for Bolivia, whose estimated 5 million tonnes of lithium 3 in the Uyuni salt lake may represent up to half of the world’s known reserves. 4
