The world's race to decarbonise has led to the rise of electric cars - and with it, soaring demand for lithium, which is required for the batteries

Beneath the salt flats of the Atacama Desert lie the world’s largest reserves of lithium, a soft, silvery-white metal that is an essential component of the batteries that power electric cars, laptops and solar energy storage.

As the world transitions to more renewable energy sources, the demand for it has soared.

In 2021, about 95,000 tonnes of lithium was consumed globally - by 2024 it had more than doubled to 205,000 tonnes, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA).

By 2040 it’s predicted to rise to more than 900,000 tonnes.

Essentially, Mine Kampf.