Researchers from the Monash Suzhou Research Institute and the University of Queensland have developed a nanofiltration technology to extract lithium from low-grade saltwater brines with high magnesium content. The technology achieves 90% lithium recovery, nearly double the performance of traditional methods, while dramatically reducing extraction times.
October 25, 2024
Bella Peacock
Researchers in Australia and China have developed an innovative technology enabling direct lithium extraction from difficult-to-process sources like saltwater, which they say represents a substantial portion of the world’s lithium potential.
Until now, up to 75% of the world’s lithium-rich saltwater sources have remained untapped because of technical limitations, but given predictions that global lithium supply could fall short of demand as early as 2025, the researchers believe they have a game-changing solution.
Their technology is a type of nanofiltration system that uses ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, or EDTA, as a chelating agent to selectively separate lithium from other minerals, especially magnesium, which is often present in brines and difficult to remove.
The work has been co-led by Dr. Zhikao Li from the Monash Suzhou Research Institute and the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering in Jiangsu, China, and Prof. Xiwang Zhang from the University of Queensland in Australia.
“Our technology achieves 90% lithium recovery, nearly double the performance of traditional methods, while dramatically reducing the time required for extraction from years to mere weeks,” Dr. Li said.
Beyond the method’s impressive efficiency, the system also addresses major environmental concerns associated with lithium extraction, according to the researchers. Unlike conventional methods that deplete vital water resources in arid regions, the technology produces freshwater as a by-product. The technology also turns leftover magnesium into a valuable, high-quality product that can be sold, reducing waste and impact on the environment.
Studies for the technology were undertaken on brines from China’s Longmu Co Lake and Dongtai Lake, with the results published in the Nature Sustainability journal this week
“High-altitude salt brine flats in countries like China (Tibet and Qinghai) and Bolivia are examples of areas with tougher brine conditions that have traditionally been ignored. In remote desert areas, the vast amounts of water, chemicals and infrastructure required for conventional extraction just aren’t available either, underscoring the need for innovative technologies,” Dr. Li said.
“With Monash University’s EALNF [EDTA-aided loose nanofiltration] technology, these can now be commercially viable sources of lithium and valuable contributors to the global supply chain.”
The system is flexible and ready for large-scale use, meaning it can quickly expand from testing to full industrial operations, Dr. Li added.
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