Membrane distillation-crystallisation for the production of carbon neutral lithium in the UK

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The creation of a carbon-neutral domestic supply of lithium in the South West region could become central to the post-fossil fuel economy of the UK. Returning primary production to the once lucrative tin mines of Cornwall is an exciting prospect that could bring thousands of high-quality green jobs to the region, bolstering the local economy and underpinning the UK's supply chain of widespread and affordable electric vehicles for all. However, it must be done in a truly environmentally responsible way - preserving local water quality and availability, utilising non fossil-fuel energy to power the process and eliminating the production of harmful waste products. At Watercycle Technologies, we believe we are well on the way to achieving this aim, using our advanced membrane distillation-crystallisation (MDC) technology to directly extract lithium from geothermal brines, using the renewable energy already embedded within them to power the process. We have already demonstrated our ability to produce lithium carbonate (the raw material that goes into batteries) from Cornish brines using our system, making us the first company to do so. And we hope that this project will enable us to accelerate our development and, by the end of it, construct the world's first carbon-neutral lithium extraction demonstration system right here in the UK.