Comment by cogman10

It really is, particularly because of what it ends up replacing.

The alternative is burning and refining fossil fuels.

Louisiana has a large section of land referred to as "cancer alley". It's called that due to the released toxins from oil refining (most likely benzene).

The lithium extracted today will end up circulating in the supply chain for decades. Unlike the fossil fuels refined today which are burned tomorrow, fully releasing all their toxins.

Now, it could be cleaner. There's really no reason they couldn't distill the waste water and then reuse it.