U.S. lithium resources from geothermal and extraction feasibility

Ange Lionel Toba; Ruby Thuy Nguyen; Carson Cole; Ghanashyam Neupane; Mariappan Parans Paranthaman

doi:10.1016/j.resconrec.2021.105514

U.S. lithium resources from geothermal and extraction feasibility

Ange Lionel Toba, Ruby Thuy Nguyen, Carson Cole, Ghanashyam Neupane, Mariappan Parans Paranthaman

Nanomaterials Chemistry Group

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

37 Scopus citations

Abstract

As the demand for electric vehicles (EVs) increases, demand for lithium (Li) is expected to grow over the coming decade. To satisfy the demand for rechargeable batteries, it is imperative to devise solutions for sufficient Li production. Even though commercial Li currently comes from conventional saline salar brine and spodumene ore extractions, efforts to retrieve Li from geothermal brines are increasing in popularity. In this paper, we evaluate the United States’ potential to supply Li from geothermal brines using Systems Dynamics modeling. The main goals are to assess (1) the viability of US Li supply from geothermal brines and (2) the potential supply chain impact of extracting Li from this source. Results show that Li supply from geothermal brines could (1) reach around 4% to 8% of total US Li supply and (2) be economically viable.

Original language	English
Article number	105514
Journal	Resources, Conservation and Recycling
Volume	169
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2021.105514
State	Published - Jun 2021

Funding

This research was supported by the Critical Materials Institute, an Energy Innovation Hub funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Advanced Manufacturing Office, under Grant AL-12-350-001. This manuscript has been authored by UT-Battelle, LLC under Contract no. DE-AC05-00OR22725 and DE-AC07-05ID14517 with the U.S. Department of Energy. The United States Government retains and the publisher, by accepting the article for publication, acknowledges that the United States Government retains a non-exclusive, paid-up, irrevocable, world-wide license to publish or reproduce the published form of this manuscript, or allow others to do so, for United States Government purposes. The Department of Energy will provide public access to these results of federally sponsored research in accordance with the DOE Public Access Plan.

Funders	Funder number
Critical Materials Institute
United States Government
U.S. Department of Energy
Advanced Manufacturing Office	DE-AC05-00OR22725, DE-AC07-05ID14517, AL-12-350-001
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Keywords

Critical material
Geothermal brines
Lithium
Supply and demand
Supply chain
System dynamics

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1016/j.resconrec.2021.105514

Cite this

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title = "U.S. lithium resources from geothermal and extraction feasibility",

abstract = "As the demand for electric vehicles (EVs) increases, demand for lithium (Li) is expected to grow over the coming decade. To satisfy the demand for rechargeable batteries, it is imperative to devise solutions for sufficient Li production. Even though commercial Li currently comes from conventional saline salar brine and spodumene ore extractions, efforts to retrieve Li from geothermal brines are increasing in popularity. In this paper, we evaluate the United States{\textquoteright} potential to supply Li from geothermal brines using Systems Dynamics modeling. The main goals are to assess (1) the viability of US Li supply from geothermal brines and (2) the potential supply chain impact of extracting Li from this source. Results show that Li supply from geothermal brines could (1) reach around 4% to 8% of total US Li supply and (2) be economically viable.",

keywords = "Critical material, Geothermal brines, Lithium, Supply and demand, Supply chain, System dynamics",

author = "Toba, {Ange Lionel} and Nguyen, {Ruby Thuy} and Carson Cole and Ghanashyam Neupane and Paranthaman, {Mariappan Parans}",

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AU - Toba, Ange Lionel

AU - Nguyen, Ruby Thuy

AU - Cole, Carson

AU - Neupane, Ghanashyam

AU - Paranthaman, Mariappan Parans

PY - 2021/6

Y1 - 2021/6

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AB - As the demand for electric vehicles (EVs) increases, demand for lithium (Li) is expected to grow over the coming decade. To satisfy the demand for rechargeable batteries, it is imperative to devise solutions for sufficient Li production. Even though commercial Li currently comes from conventional saline salar brine and spodumene ore extractions, efforts to retrieve Li from geothermal brines are increasing in popularity. In this paper, we evaluate the United States’ potential to supply Li from geothermal brines using Systems Dynamics modeling. The main goals are to assess (1) the viability of US Li supply from geothermal brines and (2) the potential supply chain impact of extracting Li from this source. Results show that Li supply from geothermal brines could (1) reach around 4% to 8% of total US Li supply and (2) be economically viable.

KW - Critical material

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KW - Lithium

KW - Supply and demand

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U.S. lithium resources from geothermal and extraction feasibility

Abstract

Funding

Keywords

UN SDGs

Access to Document

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