Lithium Reservoir Hiding in Wastewater Discovered Under Pennsylvania, Could Meet 40% of US Demand [Study]

Lithium is a rare element and a soft, light metal that can be found in almost all of Earth's igneous rocks, waters of mineral springs, and in subsurface fluids called brines. In modern times, lithium has several industrial applications and it has been widely used in rechargeable batteries for electric vehicles and different electronic devices, including digital cameras, laptops, and mobile phones.

Lithium reservoirs are mostly found and extracted across South America, particularly in the countries of Bolivia, Argentina, and Chile. Other major geological sources and producers of the rare metal are the United States, Australia, and China.

Since the small yet tangible element is a limited resource, there is an ongoing search for potential lithium reserves worldwide, waiting to be discovered.

Lithium Reservoir Under Pennsylvania

Recently, a study led by researchers from the University of Pittsburgh in the US revealed the discovery of an untapped, large lithium reservoir. This previously unknown reserve is hiding in wastewater under Pennsylvania, as part of the state's gas fracking industry. Based on the new research paper, the site contains vast volumes of the element greater than previously thought.

Findings about the lithium reservoir under Pennsylvania was published in the journal Scientific Reports on April 16. The researchers revealed that a lithium mass, never accurately measured before, is coming from produced water sourced from Marcellus Shale, also called the Marcellus Formation dating back from the Middle Devonian age.

Also Read: Roundworms with Short Memories 'Stop Forgetting' When Frozen or Given Lithium [Study]

Lithium Mine Production

In a 2020 report by the London-based NS Energy company, the top six countries with the world's largest lithium reserves are the following, which are part of the lithium mine production industry:

•  Bolivia with 21 million tons of lithium
•  Argentina with 17 million tons
•  Chile with 9 million tons
•  US with 6.8 million tons
•  Australia with 6.3 million tons

Although Bolivia has the highest amount of lithium reserve, Australia in 2019 became the world's biggest lithium producer, with a mine output of 42,000 tons in the said year, according to the report.

Moreover, there are other countries in the world with lithium production or lithium reserves. Below are some of these places:

•  Portugal
•  Germany
•  Austria
•  Czech Republic
•  Finland
•  Serbia
•  Spain
•  Kazakhstan

Lithium Mining and Extraction Impacts

Due to the constant and widespread demand for the said chemical element, lithium mining from rocks and extraction from briny water have increased over the past century. However, scientists found that mining the in-demand lithium metal is detrimental to the environment since it can release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, as well as cause biodiversity loss and water pollution.

While there is a myriad of benefits provided by lithium to modern technology, the process of mining and extracting the element also has an unprecedented environmental impact. This threat has been explored in recent years in the context of clean energy technologies.

The subject matter of lithium mining and extraction was highlighted in a separate study published in the journal Nature Reviews Earth & Environment in February 2023.

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