Centuries ago, efforts to transform lead into gold laid the foundations of alchemy, and therefore chemistry. Although these efforts of alchemists were not successful, the idea of obtaining less valuable resources from those that are abundant in nature has survived to the present day.
In this regard, it is reported that scientists from the Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNNL) affiliated to the Department of Energy in the USA are now collaborating with the industry to obtain precious metals from various water resources. It is stated that a method using magnetic nanoparticles will be tested at this stage for the extraction of important metals such as lithium from water sources.
It may be possible to get lithium much faster and cheaper than water
Lithium can also be found in lightweight lithium-ion batteries that power everything from cell phones to electric vehicles. It plays a role as a fundamental component in many electronic and energy technologies, including This means that lithium is an ‘indispensable’ for many areas of modern life. While the global lithium market is estimated to reach $8.2 billion by 2028; Too little lithium production in the US is a big problem.
PNNL’s patent-pending technology not only potentially gives the US the opportunity to manufacture more of its own lithium and other critical materials, but also offers a much faster and cheaper way to do it. Accordingly, PNNL reportedly developed magnetic nanoparticles surrounded by an adsorbent shell that focuses on lithium and other metals found in water associated with various industrial processes.
These resources may include water from geothermal power plants, known as geothermal brines, or water withdrawn from groundwater during oil or gas production; It is also stated that the particles can be used in waste from desalination plants and even directly in seawater.
Thanks to this technology, when small, iron-based particles are added to water, lithium is drawn from the water and binds to these particles. Afterwards, the nanoparticles are collected with the help of a magnet so that the lithium, which is no longer suspended in the liquid, is ready for easy extraction. What’s more, after the lithium has been extracted, the nanoparticles can be reused, thanks to their rechargeability.
Promising alternative to costly traditional lithium extraction methods
The technology compares to traditional extraction methods, which is a costly process that pumps groundwater into large evaporating ponds offers a promising alternative. The fact that these processes take months or even years and often affect groundwater management in arid regions where they are deployed shows that the need for such technology is quite large.
PNNL is developing this technology in partnership with Moselle Technologies, which licenses it and plans to pilot it in several locations. This effort and ongoing activity also exemplifies how national laboratories are collaborating with commercial organizations to transform laboratory research into real-world solutions.
While none of these efforts deliver the magic promised by alchemy, they do show how much of a contribution the ancient alchemists actually made to the science of chemistry. With PNNL’s unique approach, extracting key minerals quickly and cost-effectively could be far more valuable to the world and science than its weight in gold.
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