America's Lithium Sea

A 21st century gold rush.

Well, here it is, as seen from orbit - the Salton Sea. Periodic Colorado river flooding in the late 19th and early 20th centuries escaped control efforts, creating the body of water we have today. A decade ago I spent a summer in the area, curing myself of the urge to live in the desert. The heat in this part of the world feels to me like a frantic wild animal trying to claw its way into the house.

The drive for electrification has put lithium into a position similar to coal, oil, and gas. This is now a hotly pursued commodity driven by the same economics that move fossil fuels. Batteries are for storage, not production, but if you step back you can see the parallels. Perhaps a better comparison would be the U.S. shale oil/gas boom, because all of them depend on water.

Anyway, the Salton Sea is chock full of lithium, just like the deposits in Western Australia and Chile. The serious only issue is water and there are schemes to refresh the sea from the Gulf of California or the Pacific. The surface is 236 feet below sea level. There is abundant solar power potential as well as geothermal energy producers in the region. There will be environmental concerns, litigation, and delays, but I think this will get done.

The video covers all these things and more.