The US’s first lithium from oilfield wastewater is coming this 12 months

Element3 simply raised a recent spherical of funding to launch the primary US industrial lithium extraction vegetation, and it’s sourcing the lithium from oil and gasoline wastewater in Texas. That’s an enormous deal as a result of it means there might be a home lithium provide for EVs and battery storage inside a couple of months.

The important supplies extraction firm introduced the shut of its Collection A funding spherical led by TO VC. Fort Price, Texas-based Element3 will use the cash to deploy its first extraction vegetation on oil and gasoline firm Double Eagle Vitality Holding’s water infrastructure within the Permian Basin by the top of 2025. Which means Element3 will grow to be the primary new lithium extraction participant within the US to achieve commercialization, with its first industrial shipments anticipated by year-end.

Element3’s breakthrough know-how pulls battery-grade lithium from the Permian Basin’s produced water, turning a waste stream from oil and gasoline drilling right into a invaluable home useful resource. With a lithium carbonate plant already put in within the area, the corporate says its vertically built-in setup is able to provide lithium for the US power transition.

“This funding accelerates our mission to construct American lithium independence from the bottom up,” mentioned Hood Whitson, Element3’s founder and CEO. “Whereas different US initiatives are nonetheless in planning and years away from manufacturing, we’re bringing our vegetation on-line now and transport product this 12 months. Utilizing current oilfield infrastructure, we will transfer sooner, cleaner, and at a fraction of the price.”

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The US oil and gasoline business produces over 1 trillion gallons of wastewater yearly, containing an estimated 250,000 tons of lithium carbonate – greater than half the nation’s projected provide hole by 2030. By tapping into that wastewater, Element3 avoids many challenges that delay typical lithium mining, equivalent to prolonged allowing, land disruption, and excessive carbon emissions. As a substitute, it makes use of current infrastructure, turning waste into a brand new, low-carbon provide stream.

Recovering lithium from wastewater is considerably extra environmentally pleasant than typical mining. It doesn’t require digging new pits, evaporating huge ponds, or consuming massive quantities of recent water. It additionally eliminates the necessity to transport uncooked supplies internationally, serving to cut back emissions tied to world provide chains.

“A lot capital has gone into onshoring battery manufacturing, however far much less into securing the upstream provide of lithium itself,” mentioned Joshua Phitoussi, managing accomplice at TO VC. “Conventional mining takes billions and greater than a decade to deliver on-line. Element3’s method is quicker, cheaper, and makes use of an already considerable useful resource. Which means that Element3 would be the first (direct lithium extraction) firm to get to industrial scale, and will grow to be a high three home lithium producer throughout the subsequent three years.”

Learn extra: A $1.2B battery-grade lithium refinery breaks floor in Oklahoma

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