Automakers using new tech to extract lithium from brine for use in EV batteries: As automakers set ambitious EV production targets that may require a 20-fold increase in lithium supply, companies are looking to shift from mining lithium from hard rock to mining it from brine, where the mineral is more abundant but less efficient to extract. However, newly developed tech is making mining lithium from brine more feasible, CNBC reports.

Why had they previously shied away from brine? Traditional methods of mining from brine involve evaporating it in massive pools over 18 months until high concentrations of lithium are left behind. While the process is simple, it requires a lot of land and is disruptive to the environment, CNBC said. Lilac is one of several companies piloting “direct lithium extraction,” which puts the brine through a series of chemical processes to extract the lithium before injecting the brine back underground. Through this method, battery-grade lithium carbonate is produced within a matter of hours without the need to transport concentrated brine to a separate processing facility. The company expects to have its first commercial-scale module operating before the end of 2024, while lithium extractor EnergyX aims to have the first two demonstration processing plants running by the end of this year.