A third optionLithium demand sees companies looking at recovering low grades of the critical mineral from clay

Lithium demand sees companies looking at recovering low grades of the critical mineral from clay

By Sarah Treleaven

March 27, 2023

Albemarle’s Silver Peak lithium mine in Nevada is the only producing lithium mine in North America; the company is evaluating technology to produce lithium from clay resources in the region. Courtesy of Albemarle

The electric vehicle (EV) revolution has driven an intensification in the demand for the lithium required to power EV batteries. As a result, in addition to traditional methods of mining lithium – extraction through either brine or mined ore – a third method is gaining attention: lithium extracted from clay.

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