Technology and Innovation Driving Sustainability
High-grade lithium brine with up to 320mg/l lithium content and <5ppm magnesium for easier recovery.
The high pressure reservoir reduces energy consumption and operating costs by eliminating the need for downhole pumping.
DLE technology minimises surface impact, eliminating evaporation ponds.
Step 1
Lithium-rich brine is pumped to surface at high pressure and temperature.
Step 3
Lithium is extracted from the brines using Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) technology.
Technology and Innovation Driving Sustainability
Introduction to Lithium
Lithium is the lightest metal and least dense solid element. With the highest charge-to-weight ratio and exceptional electrochemical potential, it is a key ingredient in batteries, prized for its superior energy storage capabilities.
Lithium Demand
Demand for lithium in 2024 was approximately 1 million tonnes but is expected to grow to 2.7 million tonnes in five years (2030) with a staggering $514 billion investment in mines needed to meet this demand. Some estimates suggest lithium demand will reach 4 million tonnes per annum in 2030 – a 400% increase from 2024.
Australia’s Role in Lithium Production
While Australia is the world’s largest producer of lithium currently (30% of global demand), this is produced from hard-rock mining operations (spodumene) which is mostly exported to China for refining. Mining lithium and exporting to refiners has a high emissions footprint with an averaging 15 tonnes of CO² produced and 170m3 of water required per tonne of lithium produced.
Geothermal Energy, Lithium and Sustainability
Lithium production in the Cooper Basin will utilise renewable energy to produce battery-grade lithium with a minimal carbon footprint, reducing the need for water resources.
Role of Lithium in Energy Transition
While electricity produced from solar PV and wind turbines produces clean energy, it does not produce dispatchable energy consistently. A way to capture this energy and release it when it’s needed is to store it in grid-scale lithium batteries (BESS). The demand for BESS is increasing globally with compound growth of over 20% year-on-year, positively impacting lithium demand.
EV Demand and Lithium Forecasts
The highest demand for lithium is from batteries to power electric vehicles (EVs). This application accounted for 90% of lithium demand in 2024, with 16 million EVs sold in the 12-month period. Bloomberg forecasts sales of 41 million EVs in 2030 and 72 million in 2040.
While the lithium price has pulled back from its 2022 highs, there are serious concerns that lithium production cannot meet forecast demand. This, combined with the efforts by many western countries to reduce reliance on China for critical minerals, is increasing the strategic value of large lithium resources such as the CLP.
Strategic Importance of Australian Lithium
Australia is a partner country under the USA Inflation Reduction Act which allocated large tracts of government funds to the production of critical metals such as lithium required for the energy transition.
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info@hydrolit.com.au
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