Imperial County's Lithium Reserves Hold Promise and Concerns for 'Lithium Valley'
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Imperial County has large lithium reserves that could be worth over $7 billion and supply 375 million electric vehicle batteries. The region is being called "Lithium Valley."
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There are plans to start extracting lithium from the region's geothermal plants by 2025 to meet rising demand, but the extraction process has many unknowns.
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It's unclear how much water lithium mining will require and what impact it could have on the region's main water supply from the Colorado River.
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Locals are concerned about impacts on air quality, indigenous cultural sites, and the shrinking Salton Sea, but most support the economic potential.
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Lithium mining is expected to generate $30 million per year in taxes for Imperial County, with 80% of that going directly to the county for local projects.