Electrochemical reactor grabs 97.5% of lithium from geothermal sources

Lithium-ion batteries power everything from our vape pens to electric cars, but they have one glaring issue: they rely on lots of hard-to-harvest lithium. A new reactor from Rice University is set to make the whole process easier and safer.

It's hard to pick up any rechargeable device these days that doesn't have a lithium-ion battery inside. While there have been alternatives floated, such as those based on potassium or sodium, lithium is currently where it's at in the contemporary battery market. That's primarily because, despite occasionally bursting into flames, Li-ion batteries have an excellent energy density that lets them hold a lot of charge in a relatively small size. They are also fairly lightweight.

Lithium-ion batteries are so popular, in fact, that it's predicted their demand will grow seven-fold by 2030, largely driven by the continued adaptation of electric cars. In terms of dollars, that growth amounts to US$56.8 billion in 2023 to US$187.1 billion by 2032.

The issue with this rapidly growing demand however, is that lithium itself is a problematic element. While it is the 31st most abundant element on the planet, this fact actually makes it fairly rare. What's more, lithium is often trapped in rocks or geothermal brines where its concentration can be quite low, so extracting it is an energy-intensive process that often comes with the risk of creating hazardous gasses. Digging lithium mines can also damage natural habitats and divert water from nearby communities, as it takes about 2.2 million liters of water to create one ton of lithium.

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