Eye on Lithium: Scientists extract lithium from 'unconventional' water sources

US scientists say there’s lithium in waste water just waiting to be extracted
MinRex Resources kicks off RC drilling at historic Shaw River project
Reedy Lagoon scraps plans for Alvord lithium brine project after BLM advice

All your ASX lithium news for Thursday, July 28

At the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, researchers are looking to unconventional water sources to extract lithium – namely oil-and gas-produced water, geothermal brines, and rejected brines from seawater desalination.

Assistant Professor Chong Liu has analysed more than 122,000 unconventional water sources, she and her team discovered that there is, in fact, enough lithium within these sources to make it worthwhile to extract.

They also found that the composition of these sources—the amount of sodium, magnesium, potassium, and calcium—can affect extraction performance of an emerging technology, providing key insights for refining and optimising it.

Could improve lithium selectivity

The process uses electrochemical intercalation, where electrode materials or membranes drive ions from the water source into a solid structure.

But these water sources also contain ions that are very similar to lithium ions in both mass and charge, like sodium, magnesium, potassium, and calcium.

The team found that sodium acts as a competitor for storage sites within the material framework, while magnesium and calcium can affect the charge transfer of lithium, affecting how selective the material ultimately is.

“This shows that the key challenge of the electrochemical intercalation method is how to improve lithium selectivity compared to sodium,” Liu says. “We show that is the main concern that scientists should consider going forward.

“We have better defined the playground, and now more people can join in and study lithium extraction.”

Here’s how ASX lithium stocks were tracking today:

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Code	Company	Price	% Month	% Week	% Today	Market Cap
PSC	Prospect Res Ltd	0.1175	143%	140%	42%	$38,367,535.35
ENT	Enterprise Metals	0.012	33%	20%	20%	$6,529,806.88
LPI	Lithium Pwr Int Ltd	0.54	32%	26%	17%	$160,606,630.08
AVW	Avira Resources Ltd	0.0035	-13%	-13%	17%	$6,356,370.00
DRE	Dreadnought Resources Ltd	0.066	65%	32%	16%	$161,804,962.41
AM7	Arcadia Minerals	0.16	-14%	7%	14%	$6,537,704.88
DTM	Dart Mining NL	0.089	56%	44%	14%	$10,550,292.48
MRR	Minrex Resources Ltd	0.041	8%	24%	14%	$38,165,290.60
IR1	Irismetals	0.35	49%	30%	14%	$18,334,687.50
NMT	Neometals Ltd	1.175	21%	17%	14%	$567,569,569.86
LNR	Lanthanein Resources	0.017	6%	6%	13%	$12,567,383.55
SHH	Shree Minerals Ltd	0.009	29%	0%	13%	$9,907,895.14
LEL	Lithenergy	0.94	24%	38%	11%	$38,151,750.00
1MC	Morella Corporation	0.02	0%	18%	11%	$93,171,851.75
ARN	Aldoro Resources	0.21	56%	40%	11%	$18,921,590.23
NWM	Norwest Minerals	0.042	50%	35%	11%	$6,863,080.71
LRV	Larvottoresources	0.215	-17%	5%	10%	$8,098,837.50
MTM	Mtmongerresources	0.11	-19%	-4%	10%	$3,751,003.30
AZL	Arizona Lithium Ltd	0.078	-13%	-4%	10%	$170,749,714.83
VMC	Venus Metals Cor Ltd	0.18	0%	6%	9%	$26,412,982.70
MXR	Maximus Resources	0.051	6%	2%	9%	$14,941,571.10
RAS	Ragusa Minerals Ltd	0.08	-13%	3%	8%	$9,304,475.54
QXR	Qx Resources Limited	0.029	7%	4%	7%	$23,202,782.67
MIN	Mineral Resources.	52.19	7%	10%	7%	$9,242,766,896.80
FG1	Flynngold	0.098	-2%	1%	7%	$5,893,616.60
JRL	Jindalee Resources	2.55	-12%	3%	6%	$137,709,518.40
LTR	Liontown Resources	1.275	18%	14%	6%	$2,630,670,237.60
PLL	Piedmont Lithium Inc	0.595	-3%	11%	6%	$295,439,648.00
AX8	Accelerate Resources	0.034	13%	6%	6%	$8,654,684.77
A8G	Australasian Metals	0.26	53%	8%	6%	$10,086,771.03
GLN	Galan Lithium Ltd	1.145	-4%	7%	6%	$328,751,310.96
IGO	IGO Limited	10.575	2%	6%	6%	$7,557,532,773.74
RDT	Red Dirt Metals Ltd	0.37	-8%	16%	6%	$106,594,049.10
CXO	Core Lithium	1.125	10%	13%	6%	$1,845,874,737.54
CZL	Cons Zinc Ltd	0.02	25%	0%	5%	$6,903,798.45
PLS	Pilbara Min Ltd	2.7	16%	9%	5%	$7,650,500,346.88
VUL	Vulcan Energy	7.53	20%	16%	5%	$1,029,147,461.18
ESS	Essential Metals Ltd	0.435	9%	7%	5%	$102,292,281.38
INR	Ioneer Ltd	0.545	31%	11%	5%	$1,090,644,337.12
CAI	Calidus Resources	0.655	1%	6%	5%	$254,894,348.75
LKE	Lake Resources	0.775	-10%	11%	5%	$1,028,385,330.44
SCN	Scorpion Minerals	0.067	-9%	0%	5%	$21,237,196.29
TKM	Trek Metals Ltd	0.068	21%	15%	5%	$20,189,659.75
MQR	Marquee Resource Ltd	0.071	9%	8%	4%	$21,461,995.44
WC8	Wildcat Resources	0.024	-8%	-8%	4%	$14,841,272.72
TYX	Tyranna Res Ltd	0.024	71%	20%	4%	$35,244,295.34
PNN	Power Minerals Ltd	0.49	10%	18%	4%	$28,912,926.55
KTA	Krakatoa Resources	0.051	11%	-4%	4%	$16,890,785.93
G88	Golden Mile Res Ltd	0.027	-7%	0%	4%	$5,297,047.96
TUL	Tulla Resources	0.55	8%	0%	4%	$84,914,942.16
SYA	Sayona Mining Ltd	0.2075	48%	30%	4%	$1,649,619,303.20
GL1	Globallith	1.43	13%	31%	4%	$219,003,593.28
LPD	Lepidico Ltd	0.029	7%	-3%	4%	$182,200,802.92
BYH	Bryah Resources Ltd	0.029	-12%	4%	4%	$6,333,800.90
QPM	Queensland Pacific	0.15	20%	11%	3%	$226,723,904.00
LIS	Lisenergylimited	0.78	56%	-1%	3%	$125,265,211.19
AKE	Allkem Limited	11.07	2%	12%	3%	$6,835,694,681.92
TMB	Tambourahmetals	0.16	14%	0%	3%	$6,384,852.69
MNS	Magnis Energy Tech	0.32	0%	5%	3%	$300,802,759.73
ZEO	Zeotech Limited	0.065	38%	33%	3%	$96,069,674.61
LIT	Lithium Australia	0.071	25%	4%	3%	$71,443,243.43
SRZ	Stellar Resources	0.018	6%	13%	3%	$14,687,795.96
WR1	Winsome Resources	0.19	-14%	6%	3%	$24,996,088.89
MM1	Midasmineralsltd	0.19	3%	0%	3%	$10,569,376.34
CRR	Critical Resources	0.042	-13%	8%	2%	$61,008,624.80
DAF	Discovery Alaska Ltd	0.046	-8%	-2%	2%	$10,090,561.41
INF	Infinity Lithium	0.135	17%	13%	2%	$54,989,231.25
MLS	Metals Australia	0.058	9%	23%	2%	$32,378,062.89
AOU	Auroch Minerals Ltd	0.06	-2%	-13%	2%	$21,812,406.14
ZNC	Zenith Minerals Ltd	0.32	10%	16%	2%	$108,600,117.89
PAM	Pan Asia Metals	0.37	-27%	0%	1%	$26,980,888.33
AGY	Argosy Minerals Ltd	0.4075	18%	16%	1%	$549,200,649.74
WES	Wesfarmers Limited	46.435	5%	-1%	0%	$52,564,833,619.12
ADV	Ardiden Ltd	0.009	29%	13%	0%	$24,015,018.20
AVZ	AVZ Minerals Ltd	0.78	0%	0%	0%	$2,752,409,203.44
EMH	European Metals Hldg	0.66	-7%	-12%	0%	$79,109,491.56
TKL	Traka Resources	0.006	20%	20%	0%	$4,132,647.37
TON	Triton Min Ltd	0.027	59%	-10%	0%	$33,987,172.78
BMM	Balkanminingandmin	0.2	8%	5%	0%	$6,550,000.00
AAJ	Aruma Resources Ltd	0.067	10%	-3%	0%	$10,516,420.70
AS2	Askarimetalslimited	0.265	0%	15%	0%	$11,943,356.55
EMS	Eastern Metals	0.135	4%	4%	0%	$5,218,593.75
FRS	Forrestaniaresources	0.15	7%	7%	0%	$4,662,945.60
GSM	Golden State Mining	0.049	20%	2%	0%	$5,704,644.63
IMI	Infinitymining	0.12	-17%	-8%	0%	$6,900,000.00
MMC	Mitremining	0.12	0%	-4%	0%	$3,250,212.00
RAG	Ragnar Metals Ltd	0.038	-3%	3%	0%	$14,409,025.78
TEM	Tempest Minerals	0.041	-56%	-9%	0%	$20,695,413.22
TSC	Twenty Seven Co. Ltd	0.002	-33%	-20%	0%	$5,321,627.81
WML	Woomera Mining Ltd	0.0145	-19%	-9%	0%	$9,959,079.46
KGD	Kula Gold Limited	0.028	22%	0%	0%	$6,024,917.70
LRS	Latin Resources Ltd	0.08	18%	10%	0%	$155,615,182.40
AZI	Altamin Limited	0.095	0%	0%	0%	$37,213,091.44
PGD	Peregrine Gold	0.4	11%	-5%	0%	$15,314,794.00
GT1	Greentechnology	0.65	3%	0%	0%	$119,775,267.95
BNR	Bulletin Res Ltd	0.12	0%	9%	0%	$35,110,932.00
LSR	Lodestar Minerals	0.006	0%	-14%	0%	$10,430,624.09
AOA	Ausmon Resorces	0.006	20%	-8%	0%	$5,143,736.06
VKA	Viking Mines Ltd	0.007	17%	17%	0%	$7,176,809.02
IPT	Impact Minerals	0.008	14%	0%	0%	$19,850,964.45
SRI	Sipa Resources Ltd	0.038	15%	0%	0%	$7,790,942.51
EPM	Eclipse Metals	0.02	0%	-5%	0%	$38,422,528.26
M2R	Miramar	0.11	24%	26%	0%	$7,060,532.93
XTC	Xantippe Res Ltd	0.008	0%	0%	0%	$63,805,788.51
MMG	Monger Gold Ltd	0.225	-2%	2%	0%	$9,009,000.00
LRD	Lordresourceslimited	0.21	2%	14%	0%	$6,674,770.41
WMC	Wiluna Mining Corp	0.205	-28%	0%	0%	$74,238,030.68
ALY	Alchemy Resource Ltd	0.016	14%	0%	0%	$15,249,184.91
GW1	Greenwing Resources	0.225	5%	2%	0%	$27,730,653.53
DAL	Dalaroometalsltd	0.11	16%	10%	0%	$3,286,250.00
CY5	Cygnus Gold Limited	0.16	3%	7%	0%	$18,877,650.40
OCN	Oceanalithiumlimited	0.44	0%	-7%	0%	$14,751,000.00
LLL	Leolithiumlimited	0.3975	-31%	-3%	-1%	$394,662,764.80
RIO	Rio Tinto Limited	96.34	-7%	-1%	-1%	$36,000,548,433.72
CHR	Charger Metals	0.465	19%	4%	-1%	$15,313,086.45
NVA	Nova Minerals Ltd	0.835	45%	18%	-2%	$153,171,942.25
STM	Sunstone Metals Ltd	0.049	9%	2%	-2%	$129,822,320.95
KZR	Kalamazoo Resources	0.235	31%	24%	-2%	$34,846,649.76
ASN	Anson Resources Ltd	0.135	39%	0%	-4%	$143,907,726.90
RGL	Riversgold	0.027	-16%	-4%	-4%	$21,178,527.97
EVR	Ev Resources Ltd	0.027	4%	-5%	-4%	$25,927,553.99
KAI	Kairos Minerals Ltd	0.026	63%	13%	-4%	$52,976,524.26
EFE	Eastern Resources	0.025	4%	-4%	-4%	$25,855,352.41
EUR	European Lithium Ltd	0.07	15%	0%	-4%	$101,067,873.15
RLC	Reedy Lagoon Corp.	0.016	-6%	-16%	-6%	$9,476,257.50
AUN	Aurumin	0.145	32%	-3%	-6%	$16,929,604.06
AML	Aeon Metals Ltd.	0.027	29%	-4%	-7%	$28,742,808.37
WCN	White Cliff Min Ltd	0.012	-8%	-8%	-8%	$8,496,843.71
THR	Thor Mining PLC	0.009	-10%	-10%	-10%	$10,689,009.73
FTL	Firetail Resources	0.27	0%	23%	-10%	$18,534,750.00
RMX	Red Mount Min Ltd	0.006	20%	0%	-14%	$11,496,547.01

Fairly green day. A total of 72 stocks were in the green, 40 were flat and 19 were red.

Who’s got news out today?

MINREX RESOURCES (ASX:MRR)

The company kicked off its maiden RC drilling program over the Shaw River Lithium-Tin-Tantalum Project.

No modern exploration for lithium was conducted over the historic tin–tantalum mine and only shallow auger drilling was used in the alluvial grade control drilling to only 7-metre maximum depths.

The RC drilling will be specially targeting pegmatites from surface and depths to determine the nature of battery metal mineralisation.

MinRex is planning 25,000m of drilling in the next 12 months over all its lithium assets in the Pilbara.

REEDY LAGOON (ASX:RLC)

RLC said today it’s not proceeding with filing of claims in the Northern McDermitt Caldera, in Oregon USA, which it staked last quarter.

The company has received advice from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) that the areas are withdrawn from location of mining claims, this means that no claims can be filed and thereby validated in the areas that were staked – and that RLC is not continuing with its Alvord lithium brine project in the Northern McDermitt Caldera.

LITHIUM AUSTRALIA (ASX:LIT)

LIT subsidiary Envirostream has executed a recycling services agreement with Battery World, adding over 100 collection sites nationally for spent batteries – including lithium batteries.

Along with the collection sites, the deal boosts the total available consumer drop off points to more than 800 – which Envirostream says means the potential to increase recycling volumes.