Extraction as tradition

The territory surrounding the Lithium Triangle was historically plundered by mining projects. Between southern Bolivia and northern Argentina and Chile, wars and constant disputes took place over the centuries. Mega-mining projects have been present since colonization: gold, copper, silver, tin, saltpeter, guano, lithium are some of the extracted goods.
Since we have decided to divide the sculpture into three sculptures, we will use a different metal in each sculpture, this in representation of the mineral diversity of the territory.
Below are some photographs of different mines in the tripartite territory.
Mines_Guely_Morato_Research_TOS

Chile| Chuquicamata mine | 22º19’03»S68º54»09W2757m

Mine_Cerro_Rico_Guely_Morato_Research_TOS

Bolivia| Cerro Rico Mine| 19º37’8»S 65º 44′ 59»W, 4782 m

Mine_Guely_Morato_Research_TOS

Argentina|Bajo de la Alumbrera Mine| 27°18’44″S 66°31’18″W 2,559 m


Drainage

Exar, Jiangxi Ganfeng, Lithium Americas, JEMSE,YLB, Eramet, Zijín, Posco, Pluspetrol, Livent, Lithium Americas Corp., Soquimich Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM), Cyprus Foote Corporation, Sociedad Chilena del Litio Ltda.,Catl Brunp & Moc (CBC), Allkem, Alpha Lithium, Argentina Litio y Energía, Citic Guoan, Uranium One Group…

Altiplano Skin

Altiplano

El Altiplano es inmensurable como un recuerdo.
Piel de kirquincho, toca con sus extremos las cuatro puntas del cielo,
sopla su densa brisa de bestia.
El Altiplano es resplandeciente como un acero.
Su soledad de luna, tambor de las sublevaciones,
solfatara de las leyendas.
Pastoras de turbiones y pesares,
las vírgenes de la tierra alimentan la hoguera de la música.
Los hombres, en el metal de sus cabellos,
asilan el caliente perfume de los combates.
Altiplano rayado de caminos y de tristeza
como palma del minero.

El Altiplano es frecuente como el odio.
Ciega, de pronto, como una oleada de sangre.
El Altiplano duro de hielos
y donde el frío es azul como la piel de los muertos.
Sobre su lomo tatuado por las agujas ásperas del tiempo
los labradores aymaras, su propia tumba a cuestas,
con los fusiles y la honda le ahuyentan pájaros de luz a la noche.
La vida se les tiza de silencio en los fogones
mientras las lluvias inundan sus huesos y el canto del jilguero.

Altiplano sin fronteras,
desplegado y violento como el fuego.

Sus charangos acentúan el color del infortunio.
Su soledad horada, gota a gota, la piedra.

Intervención al poema de
Oscar Cerruto


The starting point

The proposal was based on a central sculpture representing the Lithium Triangle, above it a dripping system of a saline solution. This system reacts with the data of the extraction of lithium carbonate from Argentina, Chile and Bolivia. The weight of lithium is multiplied by the amount of liters of water needed for its production.
1 T. Li2CO3 = 2,000,000 L. H2O
The sculpture and the drip system were surrounded by an inverse audio piece made with sounds, voices and manifestations above and below the audible range recorded in the lithium triangle.
The sculpture will be transformed by the effects of the saline substances that fall on it and the aurality generated will be corrupted by the data from the lithium extraction in real time.The work expresses the process of deterioration of the sacrifice zone.

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