BRINEMINE

Deadline: 2019-12-31
Award: $30,000
Open to: Everyone*

The global demand for lithium salts, the raw material for lithium-ion batteries, has increased significantly in recent years as a result of technological advancements in electronic devices and electric cars requiring high energy-density batteries. Traditional sources of lithium are quickly being depleted and alternative supplies must be explored. One potential source is the fluid used in geothermal power plants, known as geothermal brine, but extraction of lithium from such fluids has proven challenging due to several factors including the presence of other salts in the brine (that can be valuable as well). Enel is looking for novel methods and technologies to economically extract lithium and other valuable minerals.