Page 30 - BusinessWest July 25, 2022

How Old Is the Water?
UMass Researchers Study Sustainability of Lithium Mining
Agroundbreaking new study recently published in the journal Earth’s Future and led by researchers at UMass Amherst in collaboration with the University of Alaska Anchorage, is the first to comprehen- sively account for the hydrological impact of lithium mining. Since lithium is the key com- ponent of the lithium-ion batteries that are crucial for the transition away from fossil fuels and toward green energy — as well as neces- sity in many of today’s high-tech devices — it is critical to fully understand how to responsi- bly obtain the precious element.
Previous studies have not addressed two
of the most important factors in determining whether lithium is obtained responsibly: the age and source of the water the lithium is found in. This first-of-its-kind study is the result of more than a decade of research, and it suggests that total water usage in the Salar de Atacama, a mas- sive, arid Chilean salt flat encompassing approxi- mately 850 square miles, is exceeding its resup- ply — though, as the team also points out, the impact of lithium mining itself is comparatively small. Lithium mining accounts for less than 10% of freshwater usage, and its brine extraction does not correlate with changes in either surface- water features or basin-water storage.
Lithium, said David Boutt, professor of Geo- sciences at UMass Amherst and one of the paper’s co-authors, is a strange element. It’s the lightest of the metals, but it doesn’t like to be in a solid form. Lithium tends to occur in layers of volcanic ash, but it reacts quickly with water.
What’s New
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Around the House
Home security systems are nothing new, but if you’re looking for an extra layer of security, the Ring Glass Break Sensor ($40 for one, $70 for two) can detect break-in attempts through glass windows and doors from up to 25 feet away, Wired notes. Users will need a Ring Alarm or Ring Alarm Pro to use it, and the sensor can be configured the sensor to trigger a siren when it detects broken glass.
Sometimes home security means being prepared when the power goes down. The Anker 757 Power- House generator ($1,399) is powered by a lithium iron phosphate battery, which is the same type of
Dr. LeeAnn Munk collects water samples in Salar de Atacama.
When rain or snowmelt moves through the ash layers, lithium leaches into the groundwater, moving downhill until it settles in a flat basin where it remains in solution as a briny mix of water and lithium. Because this brine is very dense, it often settles beneath pockets of fresh surface water, which float on top of the lithium-
rich fluid below. These freshwater lagoons often become havens for unique and fragile ecosys- tems and iconic species such as flamingos.
More than 40% of the world’s proven lithium
Lithium
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owners to keep tabs on their cat’s bathroom trips
— which can be useful for flagging any potential ill- nesses. The Leo’s Loo Too solves this with a built-in sensor that tracks how often your cat goes, along with its weight, and syncs the data to a companion app on your phone.” The device comes with additional fea- tures like UV sterilization and radar to keep the box from self-cleaning while the cat is nearby.
Speaking of animals, Wired also recommends the Bird Buddy Bird Feeder ($200), which “gives new meaning to bird watching. Not only does this cute little home feed birds, but its battery-powered cam- era offers a live feed via the connected app. If that’s not entertaining
enough, it’ll snap photos of said birds, identify the species, and present a ton of facts about each one.” u
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TECHNOLOGY
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battery used to power various electric vehicles, and “it’s a beast,” Gear Patrol notes. “Its multiple ports and outlets allow will allow you to simultaneously charge various gadgets, including your laptop, smart- phone, and tablets, as well as power larger appliances like a refrigerator, a TV, or multiple outdoor lights.”
Air purification is a different kind of home safety product, and Gear Patrol touts the Wyze Air Purifier ($135), which can be purchased with one of three dif- ferent filters, among the best on the market. “The air purifier works with the Wyze app, and, once set up, it can send you real-time status updates and alert you as to when it needs cleaning.” According to the com- pany, each purifier is capable of cleaning 500-square- foot room more than three times an hour.
Wired has some ideas for making
life easier as a pet owner, like the Smarty Pear Leo’s Loo Too Lit- ter Box ($600). “Veterinarians say automatic litter boxes, while conve- nient, make
it tough for