Impact of lithium mining on climate change in the Atacama Desert, South America

The present study aims to highlight the possible impacts of lithium mining coupled with extremely dry weather conditions such as La Nina on its local weather patterns over a high-altitude location along the Chile-Argentina-Bolivia border on both short- and long-term basis. Extensive statistical analysis established that intense lithium mining over such dry and lofted locations during strong La Nina episodes lead to prominent aridification which in turn promotes dust emission, ice cloud nucleation and widespread lightning occurrences without the need of any additional influences such as instability, moisture, or aerosols.