By Ephemera documentary
Angelo Chiacchio
Salar de Uyuni from above (2018) by Angelo ChiacchioEphemera documentary
Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia is the largest salt flat in the world. The communities living near the flat have historically supported themselves by collecting and refining its salt. Over the past few decades, tourists have been drawn in by the salar’s breathtaking beauty.
Uyuni also happens to hold the world’s largest reserve of lithium, a material increasingly in high demand by the electronics industry. Uyuni’s future may now be shaped by the exploitation of its natural resources and the growth of tourism.
Houses in Colchani (2018) by Angelo ChiacchioEphemera documentary
The small town of Colchani lies 20 km northwest of the Uyuni.
Salar de Uyuni (2018) by Angelo ChiacchioEphemera documentary
Colchani is a well-known entry point to the 10,000 square kilometers of salt-covered mud.
Gathering salt (2018) by Angelo ChiacchioEphemera documentary
A tractor arranges salt in parallel lines for collection.
Piling salt (2018) by Angelo ChiacchioEphemera documentary
Salt miners make piles by hand too.
Piles of salt (2018) by Angelo ChiacchioEphemera documentary
The piles will be left to dry for a couple of days before a truck comes to pick them up.
Abandoned salt rafinery (2018) by Angelo ChiacchioEphemera documentary
Years ago, trucks brought the salt to this main salt refinery.
Abandoned salt rafinery (2018) by Angelo ChiacchioEphemera documentary
The refinery is now abandoned. Salt was a main export until twenty years ago.
Salt worker (2018) by Angelo ChiacchioEphemera documentary
The salt is now unloaded at small workshops that belong to a local cooperative.
Interior of small salt workshop (2018) by Angelo ChiacchioEphemera documentary
Each workshop has a few small machines that output table salt. Ovens are used to dry the salt further, and then iodine is added. The mixture is milled and then packaged for sale.
Portrait of salt worker (2018) by Angelo ChiacchioEphemera documentary
Nico is a skillful salt miner who has witnessed the changes in the local industry over recent decades. "The salt industry is not what it used to be here. Now tourism is becoming the main source of income for us locals"
Worker cutting salt bricks (2018) by Angelo ChiacchioEphemera documentary
Instead of collecting salt from the surface of the salar, Nico now prefers to cut salt blocks, which he transforms into sculptures and sells to tourists.
Nico, the salt craftsman (2018) by Angelo ChiacchioEphemera documentary
Aerial view of Coqueza (2018) by Angelo ChiacchioEphemera documentary
On the northern boundary of the Salar de Uyuni, the main activity in Coqueza has always been farming.
Tunupa volcano (2018) by Angelo ChiacchioEphemera documentary
The village of Coqueza sits at the foot of the Tunupa volcano. The robust geological activity provides the salar with mineral-rich water and the agricultural community with fertile soil. The locals take advantage of the grassy hills to raise alpacas.
Isla Incahuasi (2018) by Angelo ChiacchioEphemera documentary
Isla Incahuasi is a brown patch in the snow-white landscape. It too has its roots in an ancient volcano. The salar is merely a dried-up lake. When the water evaporated, minerals were left behind in the soil. Seasonal rains come and renew the outer layer of salt.
Salar de Uyuni at sunset (2018) by Angelo ChiacchioEphemera documentary
The Salar de Uyuni also contains a vast, unexploited reserve of lithium. Demand for lithium from the technology and automotive industries has surged. Opening the region for industrial extraction of lithium may lead to increased traffic, pollution, pressure on the water supply and harm to the local environment.
Tunupa volcano at night (2018) by Angelo ChiacchioEphemera documentary
For now, the salar can rest safely under the guard of the Tunupa volcano - as it did when it was a prehistoric lake.
Old truck in Colchani (2018) by Angelo ChiacchioEphemera documentary
Conclusion
The Uyuni salt flat is a spectacular sight. To date, its outermost renewable salt layer has been exploited only by local miners. The region now offers new economic opportunities due to tourism and the high demand for its lithium reserves. If the Bolivian government fails to balance these emerging economic forces with conservation efforts, this beautiful landscape may experience permanent damage.
Terra by Angelo ChiacchioEphemera documentary
This story was created with the support of Art Works for Change, a nonprofit organization that creates contemporary art exhibitions and storytelling projects to address critical social and environmental issues.
Written, shot and produced by Angelo Chiacchio.
Copy editing: Al Grumet, Rajesh Fotedar.
With the support of: Google Arts & Culture, Art Works for Change.
Thanks to: Nicodemo Champri Yuca
