Description

The Soquimich Lithium Mine is located in the Atacama Desert of Chile. With no historical record of rainfall in parts of the region, it is considered to be one of the driest places on Earth. Mineral-rich brines — water with a high percentage of dissolved salts — are pumped from underground wells into large, shallow ponds that are colored to speed up the evaporation process. The subsurface brines of the Atacama are particularly rich in lithium salts, an essential component of certain batteries and medicines.