Groundwater in sedimentary basins as potential lithium resource: a global prospective study.

ABSTRACT: Electric cars will require to increase the production of lithium dramatically (up to 2 Mtons lithium equivalent carbonate per year by 2030). However, conventional hard-rock and salar mining are facing environmental and social concerns. Therefore, alternative lithium resources may help meeting the global demand for the next decades. Here, we provide a systematic analysis of published lithium concentration in about 3000 samples of groundwater from 48 sedimentary basins worldwide. The highest lithium concentrations (> 10² mg l^-1) are primarily found in high salinity waters (Total Dissolved Solids > 10⁵ mg l^-1) and are in the same range as brines from the most productive salars. Conservative estimations based on fluid volume and lithium concentration

SUBMITTER: Dugamin EJM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8548349 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature