DLE Weekly delivers the latest insights on Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) technologies, industry developments, and market trends. Stay tuned to see how DLE is shaping the future of sustainable energy.
DLE Weekly - 4 April 2025
Global Business, BICHEM Group
Massive Lithium Deposit Found Under California’s Salton Sea
An estimated 18 million tons of the critical mineral, as a pivotal player in the global lithium market, was founded beneath the lake’s murky waters. This is one of the largest lithium brine deposits in the world.
Extracting lithium from the Salton Sea involves drilling geothermal production wells deep beneath the earth’s surface to access lithium-rich brine in which Direct Lithium Extraction is believed to be more efficient and environmentally friendly than traditional lithium mining.
Water Shortage Threatens the World’s Most Abundant Lithium Reserves
In a study published last week in the journal Communications Earth and Environment, researchers found that the amount of freshwater locally available for lithium extraction is about 10 times lower than previous estimates. Global lithium demand, which is expected to grow by 40 times by 2040, could outpace the limited annual rain that supplies freshwater to the arid Lithium Triangle.
“Water is the most important resource in these systems, and it’s the part of the system that is most sensitive to change,” David Boutt, an author of the paper and a professor of geosciences at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, said. “I’m optimistic that, through research and development, companies can be more water efficient, especially when driven by the market.”
FID for Thacker Pass is Reached
Thacker Pass, a signature lithium project in North America has been granted with a final investment decision (FID) by Lithium Americas and General Motors.
Strongly backed by substantial federal funding, Thack Pass Lithium project is expected to generate 40,000 metric tons of lithium carbonate annually, potentially powering 800,000 electric vehicles and notably enhancing the supply chain.
Major Economies Ramped Up Securing Lithium Supply
Indian officials will visit Chile next week to discuss plans for four state companies to take a stake in two lithium projects of the world’s No. 2 producer of the metal, SQM, a source said.
Government-backed Khanij Bidesh India Ltd (KABIL), Coal India, Oil India and ONGC Videsh are in talks with SQM for stakes of 20% in its Mount Holland and Andover projects in Australia, Reuters reported last week.
Additionally, India has recently stepped efforts to strike overseas deals for access to critical minerals in resource-rich countries such as Argentina, Australia, and Chile.
Argentina’s Economic Rock Star Milei Attracts Mining
Argentine President Javier Milei, who took office two years ago has slashed inflation by nearly two-thirds after gutting public spending and halting money printing to finance the deficit.
His Incentive Regime for Large Investments of more than $200 million, known by its Spanish acronym RIGI, offers 25% corporate income tax instead of 35%, plans regulatory stability for 30 years and, in a major shift, allows external arbitration over disputes.
So far, 11 companies have applied under RIGI. Six of them are mining projects, which could hit 10 by the end of the year for a ballpark value of $15 billion, National Mining Secretary Luis Lucero said in an interview.
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