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EESA Scientists Contribute to DOE GTO Research on Critical Minerals2 min read

by Christina Procopiou on February 24, 2021

Energy Geosciences Division

 

Scientists in the Energy Geosciences Division are contributing to research sponsored by the DOE Geothermal Technologies Office (GTO) investigating the potential extraction of lithium, rare earth elements, and other critical minerals that are dissolved constituents of hot geothermal brines that are used to produce  electricity. Far more information is currently needed, for instance, about the science of extracting lithium–the key ingredient in most batteries used to power electric cars and buildings–from geothermal brines, especially those found at the Salton Sea geothermal field in southern California.

Berkeley Lab Environmental Staff Engineer William Stringfellow and Pat Dobson, the laboratory’s Geothermal Systems Program Lead, have been reviewing technology and processes for the recovery and purification of lithium from geothermal brines for GTO, with the objective of enabling the integration of critical materials recovery with geothermal energy production. 

Earlier this month, the researchers presented a paper they authored that provides a review of Li extraction technologies that could be applied to geothermal brines to the 46th annual Stanford Geothermal Workshop. Dobson is now preparing to present information about a Berkeley Lab report summarizing the results of a retrospective analysis of GTO-funded studies focused on resource assessment and extraction techniques of critical materials in geothermal brines at a virtual annual meeting of the Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration on March 1-5.

“The potential that exists to source lithium domestically here in the U.S. is crucial to the nation in meeting its renewable energy goals, decarbonizing the transportation sector, as well as creating a domestic supply chain for this critical material,” said Dobson. “Now that large unconventional lithium resources have been identified in the U.S., the key challenge is to develop the basic science of extracting this critical mineral from such resources in a cost-competitive and environmentally friendly manner. The retrospective research being gathered for GTO is invaluable to these efforts.” 

News & Events

Daniel Stolper Selected by DOE’s Early Career Research Program2 min read

June 22, 2022

Daniel Stolper is among five Berkeley Lab researchers to receive funding through the Department of Energy’s Early Career Research Program (ECRP), and is one of just 83 nationwide to be selected this year by the DOE for this prestigious award. Stolper is an EESA faculty scientist with a joint appointment at UC Berkeley, where he…

Wageningen Students Visit Ecology Department Team2 min read

On May 31, a delegation of students from Wageningen University & Research Center (WUR) Microbiology and Systems Biology Groups in the Netherlands came to visit EESA’s Ecology department. WUR is a highly esteemed world-class Dutch university that trains specialists in a variety of life sciences disciplines. WUR’s research and teaching activities range from sustainable agriculture…

Strengthening Wildland Fire Science and Scientific Collaboration through New Data Management Platform3 min read

June 13, 2022

  Wildfires are increasing in severity and frequency worldwide. A new report called Spreading like Wildfire: The Rising Threat of Extraordinary Landscape Fires indicates that wildfires are responsible for significant economic, environmental, and sociopolitical damage (UNEP, GRID-Arendal, 2021). They also contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions – thereby further fueling climate change.  Researchers need to…

Bhavna Arora Describes Agricultural Managed Aquifer Recharge5 min read

June 7, 2022

Managed Aquifer Recharge is a water management strategy used to store excess surface water underground and thereby replenish groundwater basins when and where possible. This strategy enables communities to use depleted groundwater basins as natural water storage to augment water supplies and prevent land subsidence. In coastal regions, MAR can be implemented to act as…

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