Could New Technology Pioneer an Entirely New Era of Seawater Mining?

The Energy Exchange explores the complex and critical intersection of energy, money and technology. Experts will use their insights and forecasts to outline what energy is available to us, the costs associated with that energy production and its use, and the technological innovations changing the way we utilize Earth’s resources to power our way of life.

Zhiping Lai and Zhen Li of KAUST University are opening doors to a potential new era of seawater mining.

Lithium and other resources naturally found in our planet have become cornerstones of modern society. For example, consider how many devices you use on a daily basis might become useless hunks of metal or plastic without lithium batteries to power them.

However, that also means we’re putting increased strain on our shared environment in our attempt to meet the demand for these key resources.

Still, there’s hope – and Zhiping Lai and Zhen Li of KAUST University are opening doors to a potential new era of seawater mining.

That’s because seawater contains trace amounts of valuable minerals, which we otherwise have to mine out of the Earth. Now, Lai and Li are repurposing a material that has been known to the battery industry for a long time – Lithium lanthanum Titanium Dioxide, or LLTO – to facilitate the extraction of lithium out of seawater.

“From the very beginning, we knew this was a challenging task,” Lai said. “In seawater, the concentration of lithium is very, very low. … We needed a very, very selective membrane that could separate the lithium out of other items.”

This technology has the obvious advantage of having access to a far greater quantity, albeit more distributed, of lithium in the water than found on land. It carries the obvious benefit of not needing to mine the Earth, but also the added benefit of taking waste streams from chloro-alkali facilities and water desalination plants and separating out lithium to be resold to the hungry battery manufacturing market.

What makes this membrane unique is its selectivity to lithium, which allows it to separate it at a much higher rate than other materials. It allows for high-quality, high-purity lithium to be created (99.94% precipitated lithium phosphate), which makes it an extremely exciting innovation – and one that could reshape the way the world views seawater.

Listen to Previous Episodes of the Energy Exchange Here!

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Twitter – @MarketScale
Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale
LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

people-first culture
The Elevated Employee Experience: A Look at the People-First Culture at ElevatePFS
April 9, 2025

As Senior Director of HR and HR Operations at ElevatePFS, Lindsey Hoskinson brings a decade of dedication to building a people-first culture. She works closely with employees across departments and regions—supporting teams that drive impact from the inside out. Lindsey sees teamwork as the heart of ElevatePFS. In her role, she witnesses how employees apply…

Read More
Mary McGrath
The Elevated Employee Experience: Embracing Growth Through Learning with Mary McGrath
April 9, 2025

As a Training Specialist in A/R Services at ElevatePFS, Mary McGrath brings a passion for learning and development to everything she does. Starting out as a claims representative just over three years ago, Mary has grown into a role where she now helps others build the same skills and confidence that helped her succeed….

Read More
Elevate
The Elevated Employee Experience: Growing Through Service and Leadership with LaToya Raymo
April 9, 2025

LaToya Raymo, Eligibility Supervisor at ElevatePFS, has built an inspiring eight-year journey—rising from part-time advocate to supervisor. Her progression reflects not only personal growth, but also the opportunities ElevatePFS provides for development and leadership from within. In her current role, LaToya leads with purpose, passion, and a commitment to excellence. She values the supportive, safe…

Read More
Stephanie Wallace
The Elevated Employee Experience: Supporting Smarter Claims Recovery with Stephanie Wallace
April 9, 2025

At ElevatePFS, employees play a vital role in turning complex challenges into meaningful outcomes for clients and patients. Whether working behind the scenes or on the front lines of claims management, each individual contributes to the organization’s mission of delivering exceptional results. Stephanie Wallace, a Workers’ Compensation Appeals Representative, supports that mission by reviewing EOBs,…

Read More