Mining lithium from seawater

Abstract

Lithium might seem wimpy, with its ultralow density and tiny mass. But element number 3 ranks as a technological heavyweight. The alkaline metal’s electrochemical properties coupled with its low weight make lithium ideal for use in batteries. Lithium batteries have turned the world upside down because they are powerful and pack a lot of energy into a relatively small and light device. They put the “portable” in portable electronics, and they are driving electric vehicles’ explosion in popularity. The growth in lithium batteries is happening so quickly that manufacturers are on track to consume one-third of the world’s land-based lithium in the next few decades, according to market analysts. With lithium in short supply on land and concentrated in just a handful of countries, researchers are looking for ways to mine the element from the oceans, which collectively hold 5,000 times as much lithium as that found on land. But