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Lithium, a crucial mineral powering modern technologies from smartphones to electric vehicles, is in high demand but difficult and costly to extract. Researchers at Penn State have developed a new method for lithium extraction that is both highly efficient and environmentally friendly. This innovative technique, which has recently been granted a patent, allows for lithium to be extracted in minutes, rather than hours, using low temperatures and a simple water-based leaching process.
"Lithium drives the technologies central to modern life—everything from phones to electric vehicles—and is also used in energy storage, ceramics, and even medical and nuclear fields," said Mohammad Rezaee, the Centennial Career Development Professor in Mining Engineering at Penn State, who led the research team. "However, extracting it must be done in an environmentally responsible way. Our new approach significantly reduces energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, and the waste typically generated by traditional methods."
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Countries like Australia, Chile, and China dominate global lithium supplies, with Chile and Argentina supplying 97% of the lithium exports to the United States. Despite having vast lithium deposits, the U.S. imports more lithium than it can extract due to the time, cost, and environmental impacts of current extraction methods. Rezaee and his team—Chandima Hevapathiranage and Shihua Han—have developed a solution that overcomes these barriers. Their method achieves more than 99% lithium extraction in just minutes, using less energy and fewer toxic chemicals than traditional approaches, which generally take hours and only extract around 96% of the available lithium.
"What makes this process especially exciting is that it can be integrated into existing industrial systems," said Rezaee. "It’s scalable, practical, and doesn't require extreme temperatures or acids. We use common materials like sodium hydroxide and water, which are much safer and more cost-effective than the harsh chemicals used in traditional methods."
Traditional lithium extraction either involves heating rock ores to extremely high temperatures or evaporating lithium-rich brine in ponds. While rock extraction is faster than evaporation, it requires temperatures of 1,110°C (2,300°F) and long processing times. The new method avoids these challenges, making it both a faster and cleaner alternative for lithium production.
"Lithium drives the technologies central to modern life—everything from phones to electric vehicles—and is also used in energy storage, ceramics, and even medical and nuclear fields," said Mohammad Rezaee, the Centennial Career Development Professor in Mining Engineering at Penn State, who led the research team. "However, extracting it must be done in an environmentally responsible way. Our new approach significantly reduces energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, and the waste typically generated by traditional methods."
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Countries like Australia, Chile, and China dominate global lithium supplies, with Chile and Argentina supplying 97% of the lithium exports to the United States. Despite having vast lithium deposits, the U.S. imports more lithium than it can extract due to the time, cost, and environmental impacts of current extraction methods. Rezaee and his team—Chandima Hevapathiranage and Shihua Han—have developed a solution that overcomes these barriers. Their method achieves more than 99% lithium extraction in just minutes, using less energy and fewer toxic chemicals than traditional approaches, which generally take hours and only extract around 96% of the available lithium.
"What makes this process especially exciting is that it can be integrated into existing industrial systems," said Rezaee. "It’s scalable, practical, and doesn't require extreme temperatures or acids. We use common materials like sodium hydroxide and water, which are much safer and more cost-effective than the harsh chemicals used in traditional methods."
Traditional lithium extraction either involves heating rock ores to extremely high temperatures or evaporating lithium-rich brine in ponds. While rock extraction is faster than evaporation, it requires temperatures of 1,110°C (2,300°F) and long processing times. The new method avoids these challenges, making it both a faster and cleaner alternative for lithium production.