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b'The discovery of a massive amount of lithium under the Salton Sea could make the U.S. lithium independent. The metal is key for batteries in electric vehicles and solar panels. But the area is also a delicate ecosystem. We go to southern California to hear what hangs in the balance of the ballooning lithium industry, and also how we extract other crucial substances\\xa0\\u2013 such as sand, copper and iron\\u2013 and turn them into semiconductors, circuitry and other products upon which the modern world depends.\\nGuests:\\nEd Conway\\xa0\\u2013 economics and data editor of Sky News and columnist for the Times in London.\\xa0He\\u2019s the author of \\u201cMaterial World, The Six Raw Materials that Shape Modern Civilization\\u201c.\\nFrank Ruiz\\xa0\\u2013 Audubon California Salton Sea Program Director.\\xa0\\nMichael McKibben\\xa0\\u2013 Geologist, University of California, Riverside.\\xa0\\nFeaturing music by\\xa0Dewey Dellay\\xa0and\\xa0Jun Miyake\\nYou can get early access to ad-free versions of every episode by joining us on\\xa0Patreon. Thanks for your support!\\nBig Picture Science is part of the\\xa0Airwave Media\\xa0podcast network.\\xa0Please contact\\xa0advertising@airwavemedia.com\\xa0to inquire about advertising on Big Picture Science.\\n\\xa0\\nLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices'