As demand for electric vehicles, smartphones, and renewable energy storage continues to grow, so does the need for lithium, a key ingredient in modern batteries.
Now, researchers at Monash University have developed a new method that could make lithium production more efficient and environmentally friendly.
The new technology allows lithium to be extracted from salt mixtures with a recovery rate of about 95%, while using very little water and less energy than conventional methods.
The research was published in Environmental Science & Technology.
Much of the world’s lithium comes from underground brines, which are highly salty waters found beneath dry salt lakes. Extracting lithium from these brines is often a slow and resource-intensive process.
Traditional methods typically require large evaporation ponds, consume significant amounts of freshwater, and can take months or even years to produce usable lithium.
The Monash research team, led by Professor Huanting Wang, Dr. Zhikao Li, and Ph.D. candidate Pan Liu, took a different approach.
Instead of extracting lithium directly from liquid brines, they first converted the brines into solid salt mixtures. The researchers then used common industrial solvents such as ethanol and acetone to selectively dissolve lithium-containing salts while leaving many unwanted salts behind.
The process works because different salts dissolve differently in various solvents. By taking advantage of these natural differences, the researchers were able to separate lithium efficiently without relying on freshwater.
One of the biggest challenges in lithium extraction is removing impurities. Elements such as boron and sulfate can contaminate the final product and reduce its quality. The new technique was able to effectively remove these impurities, resulting in high-purity lithium suitable for battery production.
The researchers also focused on making the process more sustainable. To recover and reuse the solvents, they incorporated a solar-powered evaporation system. This technology uses sunlight to drive the evaporation process, reducing the need for additional energy.
The results were impressive. More than 99% of the solvents used during extraction were recovered and recycled using only solar energy.
This combination of selective dissolution and solar-powered recycling significantly lowers the environmental footprint of lithium production. It reduces freshwater consumption, cuts energy use, and minimizes waste while maintaining high lithium recovery rates.
The breakthrough has already led to a patent application, highlighting its potential commercial value.
According to the researchers, the technology offers a practical pathway toward cleaner lithium production as global demand continues to rise. With electric vehicles and renewable energy systems expected to require enormous amounts of lithium in the coming decades, finding more sustainable ways to produce the metal is becoming increasingly important.
If successfully scaled up for industrial use, this new method could help meet future lithium demand while reducing the environmental impacts often associated with traditional extraction techniques.
