Sponsored By

Direct Lithium Extraction: Advancing US Lithium Mining EfficiencyDirect Lithium Extraction: Advancing US Lithium Mining Efficiency

Explore the potential of Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) technology with insights from Harvinder Bhabra, Global Product Manager at ITT Goulds Pumps.

Maria Guerra, Senior Editor-Battery Technology

January 21, 2025

4 Min Read
Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE)
Lithium Plant, Iquique, Chile.Daniel Grinspun/iStock / Getty Images Plus

As the demand for lithium-ion batteries soars, driven by the electrification of transportation and renewable energy storage, the US faces both opportunities and challenges in scaling up lithium production. Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) has emerged as a game-changing technology that could unlock access to vast lithium reserves while addressing environmental concerns tied to traditional mining methods.

DLE technology differs from conventional lithium mining by extracting lithium directly from brine resources using advanced chemical and filtration processes. This method significantly reduces the environmental footprint compared to evaporation ponds or hard rock mining, as it minimizes water usage, land disruption, and greenhouse gas emissions. DLE is increasingly being viewed as a sustainable and scalable solution for meeting growing global demand by enabling faster extraction and improved lithium recovery rates.

In this Q&A with Battery Technology, mining expert Harvinder Bhabra, Global Product Manager at ITT Goulds Pumps, dives into the adoption of DLE in the US, examining its potential to enhance efficiency, reduce water and energy usage, and contribute to sustainable lithium production. Bhabra also shares insights into the key challenges—including technological, cost, and regulatory barriers.

Related:What Critical Minerals are in Ukraine?

With the growing demand for lithium due to electric vehicle adoption, what are the main challenges mining companies face in scaling up DLE production efficiently?

Harvinder Bhabra, Global Product Manager at ITT Goulds Pumps: Due to the variances in the type of brine from which lithium is extracted, Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) is not one distinct process, but it is a loosely used term for a variety of processes. Concentrations of lithium within brine vary from 200 ppm to 2000 ppm. Therefore, the processes required can differ in many ways. DLE is in an evolutionary stage, and many technologies are being laboratory tested, with extraction efficiency targets exceeding 95%. Being experimental, the biggest challenge for DLE is in the scaling up of production from a laboratory test to a full-scale production model. Much of the development work is being carried out by small start-ups towards achieving a workable solution. Financing this experimentation, development of test equipment and access to test sites are all presenting restrictions to the speed of progress. Once a process is deemed to be workable, it requires a larger organization to carry the process forward to full manufacturing scale.

Related:Tracing Lithium’s Path to Becoming a Commodity Material

Can you explain how DLE technology improves processing speed and efficiency compared to traditional lithium extraction methods?

Bhabra: Primary lithium sources are from hard rock spodumene using traditional mineral processing methods or from brine, using solar evaporation technologies. Production times vary, but lithium from hard rock mining may take several weeks and even months, and solar evaporation takes from several months to years at times, as it is entirely dependent on climatic conditions. Both these processes are not environmentally friendly as they take up large amounts of land, use large amounts of energy for processing, and require significant quantities of water, which is becoming a scarce resource. DLE processing facilities are compact, have a comparatively small footprint, and the final product can be available in a matter of days with much lower energy and water consumption.

DLE wins hands down when taking speed to market and efficiency into account. Developing a conventional mine from feasibility to full production may take 15-20 years. A DLE plant could go from the initial concept to be up and running in 2-3 years.

What are some of the most common barriers that mining companies encounter when implementing DLE technology, and how can these be addressed?

Related:Fungi-Powered Batteries Fuel Sustainable Energy Innovation

Bhabra: Availability of the most appropriate DLE technology due to the time required for development presents a challenge to speedier implementation. Furthermore, as all brines are not of the same grade and concentration, the output varies significantly between operations. Therefore, the same investments may not bear the same profits. Brine sources are also not infinite, and eventually, just like hard rock mining, the need for increasingly deeper sources will require adaptation in existing equipment technologies.

Access to areas containing brine deposits is also challenging due to the impact on ecological sites, which require approvals and licensing. Other sources are located in land considered sacred by indigenous communities, restricting access as rights are negotiated.

How do you see DLE technology evolving in the coming years, and how could it impact the lithium supply chain’s ability to meet EV industry demands?

Bhabra: As DLE technology continues to develop, it has become clear that the brine extraction process is more like extraction processes in the oil and gas industry in many ways, and less like the traditional mining processes for hard rock ores. Developments in DLE technologies are better aligned to chemical processing in products as well as process terms. Therefore, a crossover between Mining and Chemical and Oil and Gas companies is developing. This could start to affect the landscape within the mining space as different attitudes towards risk, investment, product specification, and more enter the debate, potentially changing how DLE technologies evolve in the future and at what pace.

About the Author

Maria Guerra

Senior Editor-Battery Technology, Informa Markets Engineering

Battery Technology Senior Editor Maria L. Guerra is an electrical engineer with a background in Oil & Gas consulting and experience as a Power/Analog Editor for Electronic Design.  Maria graduated from NYU Tandon School of Engineering with a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering (MSEE). She combines her technical expertise with her knack for writing. 

Sign up for Battery Technology newsletters

You May Also Like