With the rise of electric vehicles and renewable energy storage solutions, the demand for lithium has seen significant growth, leading to discussions about securing stable lithium supplies and the environmental implications of increased mining and production. But what is Lithium?

Lithium is an elemental metal that is mined in various parts of the world.

It is a silvery-white, soft and light alkali metal that is used for a wide variety of industrial purposes and as a component in medical products and many consumer goods.

While lithium doesn’t occur freely in nature due to its reactivity, it can be found in various minerals, such as spodumene and lepidolite. Significant quantities of lithium are also found in brine pools.

Commercially, lithium is most often extracted from underground brine reservoirs or from mineral ore through a series of chemical reactions.

While lithium-ion batteries are often hailed for their potential in green technologies like electric vehicles, the extraction of lithium, especially from brine pools, can have significant environmental impacts.

Lithium Mining

The most common lithium-bearing minerals in hard-rock mining are spodumene, lepidolite, and petalite. Mining processes typically include traditional drilling and blasting methods, followed by hauling the ore to a processing facility.

Once extracted, the ore undergoes a concentration process where it’s crushed and heated in a furnace before undergoing a flotation process, which separates the lithium minerals from other impurities.

The concentrated spodumene ore is then subjected to roasting and a series of chemical reactions, resulting in the production of lithium carbonate. If lithium hydroxide is the desired end product, additional steps are taken to produce it.

Lithium Brine

Brine deposits are typically found in salt flats. The lithium-rich brine is pumped from beneath the surface of the salt flats to the surface.

Once pumped out, the brine is directed to a series of evaporation ponds. Over a period of months to years, sunlight and the arid conditions of the salt flats evaporate the water, concentrating the brine solution.

Large amounts of water are used in the process, which can affect local water tables, and there’s potential for chemical leakage. Additionally, the rapid growth of the lithium industry has raised concerns about the social and environmental impacts in countries where lithium is mined.

After significant evaporation occurs, the concentrated brine undergoes various chemical processes to isolate and extract lithium, typically resulting in the production of lithium carbonate. This process can vary depending on the specific chemistry of the brine.

Lithium is highly reactive and flammable, and it must be stored in mineral oil or another inert environment to prevent it from reacting with atmospheric oxygen and moisture. Upon exposure to moist air, it corrodes quickly to a silvery-gray and then turns black.

The extraction of lithium, especially from brines, can have environmental impacts. The evaporation process for brines can consume vast amounts of water, which is a concern in the typically arid regions where these deposits are found. Chemical leakage and landscape alteration are other concerns. Hard-rock mining, too, has its environmental footprint, including land disturbance, energy consumption, and potential chemical pollution. The rapid growth of the lithium industry has also brought attention to the social impacts and the rights of local communities in areas where lithium resources are mined.