Telsa patents new method of lithium extraction using NaCl

https://electrek.co/2021/07/09/tesla-patent-reveals-elon-musk-table-salt-lithium-extraction-process/

by smiley1437 • 5 years ago

30 3 5 years ago

electrek.co

smiley14372• 5 years ago

Summary:

Lithium brines are the low hanging fruit but will eventually run out

Alternate sources like lithium clays are currently extracted using hot acids which also extracts undesirable minerals.

New method considered from first principles of physics using a cation (NaCl) and ball milling with the lithium clay for several hours results in an extract with a better mineral profile

New method expected to lower costs by 30%

(I should have put this in the submission but forgot)

gamblor956• 5 years ago

When Musk says "nobody has done/thought of this before" he actually means "many people have thought of this before but didn't do it for reasons I ignored." (https://www.usgs.gov/energy-and-minerals/mineral-resources-p... literally the first search result)

EDIT: See also this research paper from 1985 exploring various methods of extracting lithium from clay, including using a non-acidic bath: https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/10663/cdc_10663_DS1.pdf?down... which provides an even cheaper way to extract lithium from clay using baking soda.

Further, an important caveat for those buying Teslas for environmentally conscious reasons: this "new" method requires strip-mining areas of lithium-rich clay, which is significantly more environmentally damaging than the current method of extracting lithium from brine, and that is why nobody else currently extracts lithium from clay. Because it's still possible to mine lithium without destroying the f#$ out of the environment to save a few bucks.

smiley14372• 5 years ago

The paper from 1985 involves first roasting the pelletized lithium clay for a few hours at around 900F using a gas fired roaster, which isn't great for atmospheric CO2.

The new patent claims to use a new(?) discovery of ion-exchange that selectively extracts lithium from the clay, at temps from 20-100C. (Page 8 of the patent, under the "Detailed Description" section.) This seems much less carbon polluting.

If we're going to exploit the earth's resources at all, might as well do it in a way that minimizes the carbon.

Telsa patents new method of lithium extraction using NaCl

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