The ‘White Gold’ Rush/Cabhag an ‘Òir Ghil‘

Tha an t-iarrtas airson liteam a' sìor fhàs air sgàth 's an gluasad gu cumhachd uaine. Air a bhiathadh gu mòr leis an fheum airson bataraidhean airson carbadan dealain agus airson dealan griod a stòradh. Bidh cuid mhòr le liteam an t-saoghail, ris an canar tric 'òr geal' le cho feumail 's a tha e, a' tighinn à Ameireaga a Deas agus Astràilia. Tha dùthchannan Eòrpach ag iarraidh liteam a thoirt às an talamh iad fhèin, agus tha gu leòr dheth ann. Tha agus draghan àrainneachdail.

An ceann a tuath Phortagail tha companaidh Breatannach, Savannah, air cead fhaighinn gus mèinn fhosgladh ann an Làrach Dhualchas na Cruinne airson àiteachas, ach tha muinntir an àite fhathast a' gearain na aghaidh.

Tha cùisean eadar-dhealaichte an Czechia. Ann an sgìre mhèinnearachd stèidhichte, tha baile Cínovec na shuidhe air 3-5% de liteam an t-saoghail, cha mhòr gu leòr gus millean bataraidhean càraichean a dhèanamh gach bliadhna.

Tha Andreas Wolff air tadhal air an dà àite airson Eòrpa, 's e ag aithris air Cabhag an 'Òir Ghil'.

Demand for lithium to power the green energy transformation continues to grow. Much of this demand for what's often referred to as 'white gold' is fuelled by the need for electric vehicle batteries, as well as grid energy storage. Lithium is a key component of such batteries. Much of the world's lithium comes from South America and Australia. However, Europe wants its own supply, and is sitting on large deposits of the metal. But there are environmental concerns.

In northern Portugal a UK firm, Savannah, have permission to open a mine at a World Heritage site for farming practices, but locals continue to protest against it.

Czechia is a different case. In an established mining area, Cínovec sits on 3-5% of the world’s lithium, almost enough for 1m car batteries-worth of lithium a year.

Andreas Wolff has visited both areas for Eòrpa, as he reports on The 'White Gold' Rush.