Salton Sea has Lithium to create enough batteries for 382 million EVs
lithium extraction from California’s Salton Sea, as per a report in the LA Times. The analysis found an estimated 18 million metric tonnes of lithium reserves in the depths of the Salton Sea. Lithium is an element that is essential for electric vehicle (EV) batteries and renewable energy storage systems.
The substantial find could potentially yield an equivalent of 382 million EV batteries, boosting the quest for sustainable energy solutions, it added. While the Salton Sea presents a potential lithium goldmine, it is grappling with environmental threats. Decreasing water levels due to climate change have raised concerns about the lake's shrinking size, triggering toxic dust storms impacting the local community.
Also Read: China is winning Africa's white gold rush for Lithium However, compared to other lithium extraction sites facing environmental opposition, experts find the Salton Sea extraction process relatively eco-friendly. The region already stands as a bastion of clean energy, notably with its geothermal electricity generation. Thus, several companies aiming to capitalise on this resource have come calling.
San Diego-based EnergySource and Australian start-up Controlled Thermal Resources are those that have secured substantial investments to harness geothermal energy and extract lithium. Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Energy also aims to develop profitable extraction techniques. Also Read: Exxon Makes Lithium Play in Long-Term Bet on EV Demand Despite the promising analysis, challenges persist.
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