Researchers have optimized a new method for extracting lithium from widespread sources such as groundwater and “produced water” (a byproduct of hydraulic fracturing and offshore drilling). The new method promises to usher in an era of faster and more environmentally friendly lithium extraction. Researchers from the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering (PME) at the University of Chicago have developed a method that shows how certain iron phosphate particles can extract lithium from seawater more effectively. “Our method allows the efficient extraction of the mineral from very dilute liquids, which can greatly broaden the potential sources of lithium,” says Chong Liu, … Continue reading University of Chicago Develops Groundbreaking Lithium Extraction from Seawater Amid Surging Global Demand