Lithium Brine Extraction on a STRING

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Lithium is often extracted from briny groundwater. Currently, this is done by pumping the brine into evaporation ponds, where it takes several months to a few years for the water to evaporate and leave behind concentrated salts.

This process is time-consuming, requires a lot of land, and can only be done in a few places with the right climate.

Researchers at Princeton University have developed a new technique for extracting lithium that is faster, uses less land, and can be done in a wider variety of places.

The new technique uses strings made from inexpensive twisted cellulose fibers. The fibers have a hydrophilic (water-attracting) core and a hydrophobic (water-repelling) surface.

The strings are hung over brine-filled reservoirs, with the bottom end of each string immersed in the liquid. Capillary action draws the liquid up the cores of the fibers, while the surfaces of the fibers push the liquid out into the air where it evaporates.

As a result, each string ends up covered in lithium chloride and sodium chloride crystals that can be harvested by hand.

The researchers have already demonstrated a 100-string setup, and are now working on boosting the efficiency of the technique. They have also formed a spinoff company, PureLi Inc, to commercialize the technology. Read article: https://newatlas.com/environment/str...um-extraction/