Threats and Shifts in Microbial Communities of Salars Associated With Direct Lithium Extraction and Brine Reinjection

Lithium is a much in-demand element that is critical for the transition toward low-carbon energy systems. Beyond hard-rock mining, large quantities of lithium are extracted from brines of high-Andean salars (salares). The functioning of these microbial ecosystems depends on a delicate equilib