Abandoned Oil Wells Offer New Source Of Lithium
Start-ups are developing direct lithium extraction technology to access brine under abandoned oil wells.
This method presents a more sustainable and less harmful approach to traditional mining. The technology is in early stages of development, but if perfected, it could contribute to around 10% of the 2030 lithium supply.
The technology is still in the early stages of development and needs to be further refined and scaled to achieve commercialization.
But if the start-ups achieve a breakthrough soon, as many of them believe, direct lithium extraction from brine in abandoned oil wells could upend the lithium mining industry as this type of extraction promises to be less destructive and use less freshwater than traditional mining.
It could also make obtaining permitting easier, considering that abandoned wells have already been drilled and may not be in too remote areas without roads and infrastructure like many traditional lithium deposits.
Another problem the new technology has to solve is the chemicals needed to separate the lithium from the brine because they would depend on the specifics of the location, according to Bloomberg.
Still, start-up founders are optimistic that they can perfect the technology and achieve scale to disrupt the traditional, more harmful way of extracting the most important energy transition material whose demand is set to soar in the coming years and decades.
At: https://oilprice.com/Metals/Commodities/Abandoned-Oil-Wells-Offer-New-Source-Of-Lithium.html
A simplified diagram of lithium extraction from geothermal brine.
Direct lithium extraction - much of it from abandoned oil wells in Canada - could contribute to 10% of the global lithium supply by 2030.
= new reply since forum marked as read
