Presenter(s)

Isabelle Blackwell

Comments

9:00-10:15, Kennedy Union Ballroom

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Description

The Salar de Atacama, a hyper-arid basin in northern Chile, is a critical region for lithium extraction, where brine mining operations have expanded rapidly. However, current mining regulations primarily address solid-state resource extraction, leaving brine-based lithium mining largely unregulated. This lack of oversight raises concerns about groundwater depletion and long-term environmental impacts. Understanding how bedrock properties influence groundwater flow is essential for assessing the sustainability of lithium extraction in the region.Currently, I am in the early stages of developing the necessary modeling skills and refining my research hypothesis. The first semester has been dedicated to learning groundwater modeling techniques and establishing a conceptual framework. Moving forward, the second semester will focus on designing simulations, selecting appropriate modeling tools, and refining methodologies. The third semester will involve executing numerical simulations to assess groundwater movement under varying hydrostratigraphic conditions. Finally, the fourth semester will synthesize the results, analyze trends, and evaluate the broader implications of bedrock influences on groundwater flow.By improving our understanding of groundwater dynamics in the Salar de Atacama, this research will provide insights into how lithium mining operations interact with regional hydrology. My poster presents progress to date and outlines the next steps in this study.

Publication Date

4-23-2025

Project Designation

Graduate Research

Primary Advisor

Sarah V. McKnight

Primary Advisor's Department

Geology and Environmental Geosciences

Keywords

Stander Symposium, College of Arts and Sciences

Institutional Learning Goals

Practical Wisdom

Modeling Groundwater Flow in the Salar de Atacama

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