RIYADH: Scientists at Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah University of Science and Technology have developed a new technology that could turn the Kingdom into a leading producer of lithium, the state institution has said.
In a news release posted on its website recently, KAUST said the “innovative technology,” which involves the direct extraction of lithium from brine in oilfields and seawater, is described in a study published in the latest issue of the journal Science.
Lithium is an essential metal for the production of batteries now widely used for electric vehicles, computers and smartphones. Global demand for lithium is expected to increase to more than 5 million tonnes in 2030 from about 750,000 tonnes in 2020, according to KAUST.
Lithium is said to be present in oilfields and seawater but at low concentrations and difficult to extract in useful quantities.
But the KAUST research team led by Prof. Zhiping Lai said the new technology makes extraction possible on an industrial scale.
“Accessing lithium in brine can expand the availability of lithium worldwide by several hundreds of billions of (tonnes) and may transition Saudi Arabia from a major importer to producer of this highly sought-after element,” Lai explained in the study.
The method also achieves extraction without introducing any pollutants or additives, he said.
Saudi Arabia is thought to have plenty of sources rich in lithium in its surrounding seas and oil fields, considering that brine and seawater are estimated to contain over 10,000 times more lithium than conventional lithium reserves.
Lihytech, a KAUST startup founded by Lai and his colleague Prof. Kuo-Wei (Andy) Huang, who also contributed to the study, aims to bring the technology from laboratory to market, the university stated.
The startup has received an initial investment of $6 million from the Saudi mining company Ma’aden and the KAUST Innovation Fund.
Lihytech and Aramco announced last year a partnership in which the international conglomerate is providing brine from its oilfields to test the technology’s lithium-extraction capabilities.
