[ECO]Breakthrough in Sustainable Lithium Production

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Technology company Schlumberger has announced a new solution for sustainable lithium production at scale.

Technology company Schlumberger (SLB) has announced a new solution for sustainable lithium production at scale. This marks a significant development for lithium battery manufacturing and the clean energy sector. The company’s demonstration plant in Clayton Valley, Nevada, has achieved remarkable results that could revolutionize the lithium industry and accelerate the availability of responsibly sourced lithium products to market.

The proprietary solution developed by

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combines the company’s subsurface expertise with advanced surface engineering technologies, including direct lithium extraction (DLE). This novel approach has demonstrated the ability to produce lithium 500 times faster than conventional methods, using only 10 percent of the land typically required.

Operating at approximately one-tenth the size of a commercial-scale facility, the demonstration plant has reached a verified recovery rate of 96% lithium from brine! This high recovery rate is particularly noteworthy compared to traditional evaporation methods, which often achieve 50% or less recovery rates.

SLB’s integrated solution represents a complete, end-to-end process for

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. It incorporates advanced impurity treatment and concentration technologies to produce high-purity lithium carbonate or hydroxide. One key advantage of this approach is its significantly reduced environmental footprint. The process uses substantially less water, energy, and chemical reagents than other DLE-based offerings.

Gavin Rennick, president of SLB’s New Energy business, emphasized the importance of this breakthrough: “Lithium is a key enabler of electrification, so we must find ways to accelerate its production without adversely affecting the environment. SLB’s demonstration plant in Clayton Valley proves our unique integrated approach to scalable quantities of sustainable lithium production in the fastest, most economical and sustainable way for today’s market.”

The conventional method for producing lithium from brine at scale relies on evaporation, which has several drawbacks. This traditional process requires vast amounts of land, resulting in massive water loss. Additionally, it leaves salt, underground minerals, and used chemicals at the surface, potentially impacting biodiversity and the environment.

In contrast, SLB’s sustainable lithium production solution enhances sustainability by significantly reducing water use. The proprietary process also returns the spent brine with a reduced lithium concentration back to its source after the lithium is processed and separated. This closed-loop approach minimizes environmental impact and preserves water resources.

Perhaps one of the most striking advantages of SLB’s solution is the dramatic reduction in production time. The sustainable lithium production process takes just hours, from extracting from brine to converting it to technical-grade lithium carbonate. This is in stark contrast to evaporation methods, which can take up to 18 months to complete the same process.

Another notable feature of SLB’s solution is its flexibility. The process can be adjusted to produce various commercially valuable lithium products, including lithium chloride (used as a feedstock for producing lithium metal), lithium carbonate (used in smartphones and short-range electric vehicles), and lithium hydroxide (used in long-range electric vehicle batteries).

This technology’s successful demonstration at the Clayton Valley pilot plant marks a significant milestone for SLB. The company has completed specific technical milestones that allow it to fully qualify under the earn-in agreement with Pure Energy Minerals Ltd. This achievement allows SLB to acquire a 100% ownership interest in the Clayton Valley Project, potentially paving the way for larger-scale implementation of its lithium production technology.

As the global demand for lithium continues to rise, driven mainly by the growing

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market and renewable energy storage needs, innovations like SLB’s integrated sustainable lithium production could play a crucial role in meeting this demand sustainably. Market analysis indicates that the global lithium demand is expected to grow significantly in the coming years. According to recent projections, the global lithium market size is anticipated to reach USD 8.2 billion by 2028, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.8% from 2021 to 2028. This explosive growth is primarily fueled by the rapid adoption of electric vehicles and the increasing need for large-scale energy storage systems. Other technologies, such as

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, are not yet competitive with sustainable lithium production and other technologies like

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are not proven.

By addressing key challenges such as production speed, land use, water consumption, and environmental impact, SLB’s technology has the potential to transform the lithium industry and support the transition to a cleaner energy future. The increased efficiency and sustainability of SLB’s sustainable lithium production method could have far-reaching economic implications for the lithium market and related industries.

The success of this new sustainable lithium production technology could potentially lead to reduced lithium production costs, which may translate to more affordable electric vehicles and energy storage solutions. This cost reduction could accelerate the global transition to renewable energy and electric transportation, creating new job opportunities in these sectors. Furthermore, countries with lithium reserves previously considered uneconomical to extract due to environmental concerns or technical limitations may now have the opportunity to enter the market, potentially reshaping the global lithium supply chain.

The success of the demonstration plant in Clayton Valley represents a significant step forward in sustainable lithium production. As SLB moves towards potential commercial-scale implementation of this technology, it could herald a new era in the lithium industry that balances the urgent need for increased production with responsible environmental stewardship. The economic ripple effects of this innovation could extend far beyond the lithium industry itself, potentially catalyzing growth and transformation across the entire clean energy sector.

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