Project: Targeted Extraction of Lithium with Electroactive Particles and Electrodialysis
Initiative: Lithium
Project Lead: University of Virginia
Project Timeline: 10/01/2023 - 12/31/2026
The Targeted Extraction of Lithium with Electroactive Particles and Electrodialysis project, led by the University of Virginia, is working to advance direct lithium extraction technology to enable sustainable and efficient domestic production of battery-grade lithium hydroxide from geothermal brine.
The project is maturing current electro-sorption and electromembrane-based processes. These processes use electrical energy and currents to absorb lithium ions out of brine, release the captured lithium into another solution, and then further separate lithium from the majority of monovalent cations (positively charged ions) and essentially all multivalent and non-ionic components in the brine.
This work will advance the technology from its current technology readiness level (TRL) of 3 (early proof of concept) to TRL 5 (system validated in a non-lab relevant environment). Preliminary data supports the proposed technology and the project team is working towards gathering additional data to mature the technology.
Learn more about the Office of Geothermal’s work in lithium.