Coveted lithium

Trump and Putin want what lies in Carinthian soil

A huge lithium deposit in eastern Ukraine is causing Russia and the USA to covet it. However, the rare raw material can also be found in Austria - a mining project has been planned for years under the Carinthian Koralpe, but it has not progressed beyond test drilling and is now also being brought before the courts.

The whole world needs batteries. And around 13 megatons of the light metal lithium required for this are to be stored under the Koralpe. Since 2011, the mining of this treasure has been the subject of controversy in the Lavant Valley - as alarming environmental destruction and protests from lithium regions in China and Bolivia show.