Canadian company Volt Lithium has developed and piloted a new low-cost extraction method
The traditional technology for extracting lithium fromsaline groundwater brine - pump it out of the ground, and then put it in giant ponds on the surface. For a long time (about a year or even more) in such a production, the gradual evaporation of water occurs until the concentration of lithium reaches a high value, sufficient for precipitation with the help of chemical reagents.
Researchers have shown the possibilityusing an alternative technology - direct lithium mining. This chemical process involves adding a highly selective absorbent molecule to the brine that traps the lithium and rapidly separates it from the water, removing impurities in the process. As a result, mining takes not a year, but about an hour. At the same time, according to the developers, twice as much metal is extracted from the solution.
Lithium direct mining technology. Image: Volt Lithium
In pilot tests, the company was able to extract 90% of lithium from a solution with a concentration of only 34 mg/L and 97% at a concentration of 120 mg/L.Approximately the same concentration is observed in brine inside old depleted oil fields, they notein the company.
Lithium-ion batteries are one of the mostcommon types of batteries used in a wide variety of devices. The global shift away from fossil fuels and the shift to alternative sources is creating increased demand for a key metal for batteries. The new mining technology will help increase production and reduce the cost of lithium, the company is confident.
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