> All mining is bad for the environment to some degree or another. Lithium mining allows us to stop doing other harmful forms of mining, and it is infinitely re

> All mining is bad for the environment to some degree or another. Lithium mining allows us to stop doing other harmful forms of mining, and it is infinitely recyclable; it isn't being blasted away into the atmosphere like gasoline. Eventually, we should have enough in the recycling pipeline that mining it becomes relatively uncommon. I agree, but the choice isn't mine lithium or burn gasoline. There are other choices. Nuclear, renewables, and a grid that can adjust demand instead of needing to adjust supply. Transit. We don't need electric cars if we have trains, and trains have pantographs or third rails so don't require batteries. If we're willing to adjust our way of life, then we can have a much smaller impact. Lithium from seawater is definitely interesting. But yes to your point other metals are equally or more problematic, for instance rare earths, copper, nickel, etc.