Researchers in Pittsburgh discover large source of lithium in Pennsylvania

>Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh have discovered a large source of lithium in the wastewater from Marcellus Shale gas wells in Pennsylvania. The discovery suggests that up to 40% of the lithium used in the United States could come from this source. Lithium is a critical mineral used in the production of technology like smartphones and laptops. The researchers found that the lithium concentrations in the wastewater are as high as those in brine mining operations in Arkansas and Chile. This could provide a domestic source of lithium to help decarbonize the American economy, and the researchers are looking to expand their analysis to other produced waters and assess the environmental impacts of direct lithium extraction.