New mining techniques extract lithium without using massive evaporation ponds

Traditional lithium extraction is a slow, thirsty process that involves sitting on vast quantities of brine for eighteen months while the sun evaporates the water. A new facility in Finland is changing the cycle by using direct extraction, a method that pulls lithium from raw ore at room temperature using specialized solvents. This technique slashes carbon emissions by seventy percent compared to traditional roasting methods, which typically release fifteen tons of carbon for every ton of lithium produced.