A new source of lithium that could meet 40% of US demand was discovered in wastewater from hydraulic fracturing gas extraction.
Scientists discovered an untapped lithium mine hidden in wastewater from a natural gas mining facility using hydraulic fracturing (a mining technique that uses fluid pressure to crack underground rock layers). land) in Pennsylvania. Wastewater generated by hydraulic fracturing of rock inside Marcellus Shale gas wells contains enough lithium to meet 40 percent of U.S. demand, according to a paper published in Scientific Reports by Laboratory researcher Justin Mackey. National Energy Technology et al., Live Science reported on May 23.
Currently, 90% of the world’s $8 billion lithium supply is produced in Australia, Chile and China. This rare element is essential for the production of electric vehicle batteries, mobile phones, laptops, smart watches and e-cigarettes. Lithium demand is currently skyrocketing, with prices increasing 500% year after year.
The US has only one active lithium mine in Nevada, meaning a huge amount of lithium must be imported to meet demand. However, because of lithium’s importance to the current green energy transition, officials at the US Department of Energy aim to have all lithium used in the US produced domestically by 2030. Many Other mines are scheduled to open in states such as Nevada, California and North Carolina. But lithium mining remains controversial because it can release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and damage the natural environment by leaching toxic chemicals into the soil.
The discovery of a lithium deposit in Pennsylvania could lead to new methods for gathering this essential element without needing to mine more mines. The research team discovered this lithium source through hydraulic fracturing in the area. After testing the wastewater from the process, they found it contained huge amounts of lithium.
By-products of hydraulic fracturing are often considered waste. Oil and gas wastewater is a growing problem, and is currently only minimally treated and reinjected, according to Mackey. Thanks to the discovery of lithium, workers can mine the valuable element and utilize byproducts from hydraulic fracturing. The efficiency of lithium extraction from wastewater is up to 90%, according to laboratory results. Future research will focus on the environmental impact of extracting lithium from wastewater and building a pilot facility.