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China revolutionizes lithium extraction! Solar energy is used to capture lithium from the sea, paving the way for the biggest energy transformation of the century
The race for global energy transition has intensified demand for critical materials such as lithium. Element essential for manufacturing From electric vehicle batteries to renewable energy storage, lithium has been the focus of countless research and technological innovations. Now, China is emerging as a leader in a revolutionary approach to extracting previously undervalued lithium from the ocean using solar power. The breakthrough promises to transform the way the world obtains this essential metal.
The global context of Lithium extraction
With the exponential increase in demand for batteries, especially in the transportation and clean energy sectors, lithium has become one of the most valuable resources on the planet. However, its traditional extraction, which occurs mainly in salt flats and hard rock mines, is expensive and harmful to the environment. Large producers, such as China, Australia and South American countries, have dominated the global market, but the production capacity of these traditional sources is decreasing.
In light of this scenario, China has begun exploring new ways to ensure a continuous and sustainable supply of lithium. The main focus of this new approach is to exploit the vast reserves of lithium present in the oceans, which contain around 230.000 billion tons of this element. Although these quantities seem promising, the low concentration of lithium in seawater, together with the presence of other ions such as sodium and magnesium, has always made its efficient extraction difficult.
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The innovative STLES system: an alternative with sustainable energy
In response to these challenges, engineers at Nanjing University in China, developed the STLES (Solar Transpiration Powered Lithium Extraction and Storage System). This innovative technology uses the sun's energy to extract and store lithium directly from salt water. The simplicity and efficiency of this method are impressive, as it eliminates the need for complex and expensive industrial processes, and is environmentally safer.
STLES works through a solar transpirational evaporator, which creates a pressure gradient in the capillaries of a membrane made of aluminum oxide, with embedded nanoparticles. This membrane is responsible for selectively filtering lithium ions, separating them from other cations present in seawater, such as sodium and calcium. Solar energy generates the pressure necessary to propel the lithium ions through this membrane, allowing them to be stored in a vascular layer in the device itself.
In addition to its energy efficiency, the device is designed to be scalable and highly stable, making it a promising solution for widespread global deployment. Long-term testing has demonstrated the system’s compatibility with different membrane types, as well as its durability, which increases the potential for large-scale use.
Parallels inspired by nature and batteries
Nature has always been a source of inspiration for science. The process of extracting lithium through STLES is inspired by the way plants transpire to selectively extract nutrients from water. This natural principle has been adapted to create a device that can perform a similar process artificially, but using sunlight as an energy source.
Another innovative approach being developed comes from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia. Researchers there are using silver halide iron phosphate electrodes to intercalate lithium ions from saltwater and release them into freshwater. This method, inspired by the structure of batteries, offers another promising alternative for selective lithium extraction, minimizing the need for energy-intensive and polluting processes.
Both Chinese and Saudi technologies offer a vision of the future for more sustainable and efficient lithium extraction, allowing countries with access to large saltwater reserves to exploit this resource in an economically viable and environmentally responsible way.
Implications for the future of global energy
If the STLES system is successfully implemented on a global scale, it could revolutionise the lithium mining industry by offering a cost-effective and environmentally friendly solution for extracting this vital resource. The method has the potential to be used in locations with high concentrations of brine, such as the Dead Sea and the Caspian Sea, where the lithium concentration is higher than in the oceans, making the process even easier.
In the long term, this new approach could not only meet the growing demand for lithium, but also significantly reduce the environmental impacts associated with traditional mining. Solar energy, a clean and renewable source, would be the only energy source needed to power these devices, making lithium extraction more environmentally friendly and affordable.
Furthermore, the combination of these new technologies could allow countries without large lithium mineral reserves to participate in the global supply chain, creating a more sustainable geopolitical balance in terms of access to resources essential for the energy transition.
The race for sustainable and innovative solutions to meet global lithium demand is just beginning. China, with its technological innovation capabilities and abundant resources, is once again at the forefront of this revolution. With the development of systems such as STLES, which uses solar energy to efficiently extract lithium, and other complementary approaches such as the KAUST technique, the future of lithium extraction looks set to become increasingly integrated with global environmental needs.
The challenges are daunting, but solutions are under development. The ability to extract lithium from the oceans without additional energy costs represents a monumental step forward toward a cleaner, more sustainable future. Now the question remains: what will be the next big step in the exploration of this essential resource?
China is always at the forefront
Green lithium only Brazil