Socio-ecological risks, socio-economic opportunities, and community participation in lithium mining: A “Learning from elsewhere” review

As the global transition to a low-carbon economy intensifies, demand for lithium has surged, positioning lithium-rich countries as hotspots for extraction. The rush for lithium raises concerns about whether its extraction process will follow due diligence to safeguard ecological integrity, uphold local communities’ rights to participation, and equitable benefit-sharing. Although existing scholarship has documented these issues across diverse contexts, studies that mobilise cross-territorial experiences to identify recurrent patterns and provide lessons for emerging lithium countries are limited. In response, we adopt a “learning from elsewhere” approach to systematically review the ecological risks, socio-economic risks and opportunities, and the dynamics of community participation in lithium mining. Our review shows that lithium mining often functions as a threat multiplier. The extraction process destabilises ecological systems, undermining livelihoods and cultural functions of local communities, who remain marginalised in decision-making and benefits-sharing. This injustice has triggered resistance across local communities. Drawing on these findings, we provide lessons to guide local communities, lithium mining companies, and states in lithium-mining regions towards equitable and participatory governance of lithium extraction and identify entry points for future research.