Chinese scientists extract lithium from seawater, holding promise for new energy tech

Chinese scientists say they have discovered a promising and sustainable method for extracting lithium from seawater, offering an efficient alternative amid increasing demand for lithium in renewable energy technologies while minimising the environmental impact.

The surge in production of new energy vehicles and energy storage devices has led to a robust demand for lithium. But currently, lithium is primarily sourced from hard rock ores, such as spodumene, or from natural brines, both of which involve energy-intensive and environmentally costly processes.

A groundbreaking study published on Friday in the peer-reviewed journal Science presents a novel seawater lithium extraction technique that harnesses solar energy as the driving force.

Led by Zhu Jia, of Nanjing University, and Mi Baoxia, from the University of California, Berkeley, the research team proposed a solar transpiration-powered lithium extraction and storage (STLES) device that extracts and stores lithium from brine using sunlight.