Generally, lithium extraction from brine sources has proven more economical than production from hard-rock ore. While hard-rock lithium production once dominated the market, the majority of lithium carbonate is now produced from continental brines in Latin America, primarily due to the lower cost of production.
There are three types of brine deposit — continental, geothermal and oil field
Geothermal brines make up 3 percent of known global lithium resources and are comprised of a hot, concentrated saline solution that has circulated through crustal rocks in areas of extremely high heat flow and become enriched with elements such as lithium, boron and potassium. Small quantities of lithium are contained in brines at Wairakei, New Zealand, Reykanes Field in Iceland and El Tatio in Chile.
The Salton Sea in Southern California is the best-known example of a lithium-containing geothermal brine. Simbol Materials, a private California-based company, is producing high-purity lithium carbonate from discharge brine borrowed from geothermal plants operating on the Salton Sea. The company is using a unique reverse osmosis process that eliminates the need for solar evaporation, making operations more timely and cost effective. Simbol expects to increase production from 8,000 tons a year to 64,000 tons by 2020.
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Geothermal brines make up 3 percent of known global lithium resources and are comprised of a hot, concentrated saline solution that has circulated through crustal rocks in areas of extremely high heat flow and become enriched with elements such as lithium, boron and potassium. Small quantities of lithium are contained in brines at Wairakei, New Zealand, Reykanes Field in Iceland and El Tatio in Chile.
The Salton Sea in Southern California is the best-known example of a lithium-containing geothermal brine. Simbol Materials, a private California-based company, is producing high-purity lithium carbonate from discharge brine borrowed from geothermal plants operating on the Salton Sea. The company is using a unique reverse osmosis process that eliminates the need for solar evaporation, making operations more timely and cost effective. Simbol expects to increase production from 8,000 tons a year to 64,000 tons by 2020.
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