Salar de Atacama, Chile

Salar de Atacama (Atacama salt flats) in Chile's Atacama Desert receives 2 mm rain per year. Its attraction are the brines 40 m below ground. They are pumped to the surface into large evaporation pans. After the water has vanished, a yellowish greasy solution is left behind that contains lithium. In fact, Salar de Atacama produces 27% of the world's annual supply. Mining lithium here is less expensive to produce than from neighboring Salar de Uyuni, which is estimated to have half of the lithium reserves in the world. The image was acquired August 21, 2017, covers an area of 22.5 by 27.8 km, and is located at 23.5 degrees south, 68.3 degrees west. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA23420