Emerging Techniques in Lithium-Ion Extraction: Can the Ocean Become the Rescue of Lithium-Ion Batteries?

Abstract

Over the last decade, lithium-ion batteries have become an essential resource for the global transition to a more sustainable automotive industry. In 2020, approximately 3 million electric vehicles were manufactured. This number is projected to quadruple over the next five years. This rapid switch to electric vehicles has caused a surge in demand that the lithium industry is struggling to keep up with only using current extraction methods. It has been estimated that the ocean houses over 230 billion tons of lithium, however these reserves exist at an incredibly low concentration, making separation and extraction nearly impossible. The purpose of this thesis is to investigate and consolidate the overall state of the lithium market, with a special interest in the potential of lithium extraction from seawater. In order to do so, the lithium market is examined in terms of available reserves, supply, demand, and the gap between the two. Furthermore, technical, environmental, and economic analyses of lithium extraction from brine and hard rock, the two currently utilized commercial extraction techniques, are presented. Finally, an introduction to and analysis of the most recent, novel technologies in the extraction of lithium from seawater are included. Considering all of the information presented, it can be concluded that the current operations of the lithium industry are unsustainable in terms of reserves available and the environmental impact of each of these processes. This leads to the necessity of a commitment to further research in the extraction of lithium from seawater to fill the growing gap between supply and demand and allow for a continued transition to an electrified auto industry.