EditorialThe Chaerhan Salt Lake in Golmud, China, on Sept. 9, 2021. The salt lake is an industrial base for extracting a variety of minerals, including lithium, magnesium, and potassium. (Qilai Shen/The New York Times)
EditorialThe Chaerhan Salt Lake in Golmud, China, on Sept. 9, 2021. The salt lake is an industrial base for extracting a variety of minerals, including lithium, magnesium, and potassium. (Qilai Shen/The New York Times)
EditorialThe Chaerhan Salt Lake in Golmud, China, on Sept. 9, 2021. The salt lake is an industrial base for extracting a variety of minerals, including lithium, magnesium, and potassium. (Qilai Shen/The New York Times)
EditorialThe Chaerhan Salt Lake in Golmud, China, on Sept. 9, 2021. The salt lake is an industrial base for extracting a variety of minerals, including lithium, magnesium, and potassium. (Qilai Shen/The New York Times)
EditorialThe Chaerhan Salt Lake in Golmud, China, on Sept. 9, 2021. The salt lake is an industrial base for extracting a variety of minerals, including lithium, magnesium, and potassium. (Qilai Shen/The New York Times)