Albemarle showcases direct lithium extraction technology in Chile amid growing environmental concerns

Albemarle, a global supplier of lithium, will present its Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) project, called TED, at the EXPONOR 2026 mining fair in Chile. The company plans immersive experiences, including a 3‑D virtual tour of the Salar de Atacama, to demonstrate how the technology aims to increase production efficiency and reduce environmental impact. Albemarle’s regional vice‑president for Latin America, Sebastián Carmona, highlighted the project’s role in building a more sustainable mining sector and its recent entry into Chile’s environmental impact assessment system.

At the same time, the rapid expansion of lithium mining is raising broader sustainability questions. Extracting a ton of lithium can require up to two million litres of water, a concern in arid regions such as the Atacama Desert and the wider “Lithium Triangle” of Chile, Argentina and Bolivia. European projects in Spain and Portugal face local opposition over water use and ecosystem impacts, while China continues to dominate the global battery supply chain. Experts argue that the green transition’s reliance on lithium creates a paradox: the need for clean energy may generate significant environmental and social costs unless more sustainable extraction methods, like Albemarle’s DLE, are widely adopted.