Lithium Valley | Episode 1: The White Gold Rush

01/24/24 • 32 min

2 Listeners

We’ll get to know Imperial Valley, an area that is home to nearly 180,000 people located in Southeastern California, 200 miles from USC. This community is located at the heart of the Lithium boom. Some have referred to this as a white gold rush because of the enormous demand for lithium as a major component in the batteries that power electric vehicles and so much else in our everyday lives.

Change is coming to Imperial Valley and its communities. But given this industrialization, can the Valley continue as the massive producer for the agricultural products that feeds the world?

This Southern California county with sky high unemployment rates and with 17% of citizens living below the poverty line is about to be the center of a billion-dollar business boom...but at what cost?

Episode transcripts in English and in Spanish are ⁠available here⁠.

If you’d like to read more about the topics covered in this podcast, please check out our additional resources document.

You can follow us on Instagram at ⁠@usc_electricfutures⁠.

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Electric Futures is an original podcast from the University of Southern California, hosted by Charles Zukoski, the Vivian Professor of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science and the former USC Provost. This series was executive produced by Allison Agsten, the director of USC’s Annenberg Center for Climate Journalism and Communication.

USC Annenberg professor Mallory Carra is our lead producer. Natalie Lopez and Spencer Cline are our associate producers. Cindy Chai is our research assistant. This episode was directed by Mallory Carra, and edited and sound designed by Spencer Cline.

Our cover art is by Matthew Buxbaum. All music and sound effects used with express permission under unlimited blanket license authority from Epidemic Sound.

Change is coming to Imperial Valley and its communities. But given this industrialization, can the Valley continue as the massive producer for the agricultural products that feeds the world?

This Southern California county with sky high unemployment rates and with 17% of citizens living below the poverty line is about to be the center of a billion-dollar business boom...but at what cost?

Episode transcripts in English and in Spanish are ⁠available here⁠.

If you’d like to read more about the topics covered in this podcast, please check out our additional resources document.

You can follow us on Instagram at ⁠@usc_electricfutures⁠.

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Our cover art is by Matthew Buxbaum. All music and sound effects used with express permission under unlimited blanket license authority from Epidemic Sound.

Previous Episode

Lithium Valley | Episode 2: The Tech Behind the Scenes

There’s a big demand for the batteries but it’s a challenge in how to gain access to all the lithium needed for the electric vehicles that are flooding the streets of the world. There's a new way to access the lithium in the brines — but don’t call it mining. In this episode we will explore this chemistry and more...

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Episode transcripts in English and in Spanish are ⁠available here⁠.

If you’d like to read more about the topics covered in this podcast, please check out our additional resources document.

You can follow us on Instagram at ⁠@usc_electricfutures⁠.

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Our cover art is by Matthew Buxbaum. All music and sound effects used with express permission under unlimited blanket license authority from Epidemic Sound.

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Host Chares Zukoski wants to thank you for listening to the show and let you know about an exciting paid survey opportunity. We want to hear from you! Please take this short survey⁠.

Thanks again for listening. We hope you enjoyed Season 1.