Dorador, a scientist from the region and an elected official working on Chile's new constitution, said locals have noticed a decline in flamingos in the salt flats affected by mining for years.
"They are incredibly important because they're one of big tourist attractions of San Pedro de Atacama," said Dorador.
Dorador said indigenous elders collect flamingo eggs on the flats for their regular diet, while the birds regulate the ecosystem eating plankton, crustaceans and microorganisms, helping avoid damaging bacterial blooms on the water.
Chile's flamingo numbers overall have held up, thanks to herds on other flats not affected by mining. But the consequences could be severe as demand spikes for lithium batteries powering electric vehicles, Dorador warned.
"We have to think where these materials come from, because we're not always aware. We buy all these things but we often don't know what had to happen to make that product."
