Water as property: Contention between indigenous communities and the lithium industry for water rights in Chile

Abstract

AbstractWith the growing demand for lithium to be used in many electronic devices and vehicles, companies in Chile's Atacama Desert race to extract this “white gold.” Lithium mining is a water‐intensive process, seemingly impossible to sustain in the world's driest desert. Local indigenous communities rely on what little water access exists, but water becomes the property of whoever owns the land. Thus, we see growing contention between local communities and mining companies for the use of water. This study examines the intersection between communities, the environment, and lithium‐mining companies, using a political‐ecology model to understand the nuances involved in extracting this in‐demand resource. Based on interviews, news archives, and other methods, the findings indicate a need for increased trust between populations and companies. Additionally, regulatory and legal clarity and consolidation would help manage the conflicts. Activism and company and government responses can facilitate better negotiations between stakeholders and allow for access to lithium while better protecting the environment and the people that survive in the desert.