Ivan Silva (PRM-La Romana) is in favor of regulated exploitation of lithium in the country. Silva presented the motion now that a Chamber of Deputies-Senate committee is studying the Organic Bill for Territorial Ordering, Human Settlement and Land Use.
“We propose that this honorable chamber consider the possibility of creating a permanent committee for the control and sustainable management of lithium and other metals, with the consulting of experts and Dominican universities to investigate the feasibility of exploiting Dominican lithium could have, and to know the potential to transform raw materials into intermediate or final products,” proposed the legislator for La Romana.
The congressman explained to his colleagues the need to monitor the process of exploitation of this material, to prevent risks. He acknowledged the environmental concerns.
A check on the Internet reveals that lithium extraction processes use a lot of water – approximately 500,000 gallons per metric ton of lithium. The mining process also reportedly harms the soil and causes air contamination.
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Institute for Energy Research
Wired
4 November 2021