In Russia they began to test a modern method of obtaining lithium. Instead of traditional mining of ore deposits, valuable metal will be extracted from groundwater. This opens up new prospects for domestic industry.
A pilot project is already being implemented in the Irkutsk region at the Kokorin site. Field is being developed by the Irkutsk Oil Company, which launched trial operation at the end of 2024. The established parameters make it possible to withdraw up to 17 thousand cubic meters of water daily. The lithium concentration in it reaches 383 mg per liter.
The company now produces tens of tons of lithium carbonate every month. However, in the near future it is planned to increase the annual volume to 12 thousand tons. With the development of domestic processing, capacity can be increased up to 80 thousand tons per year, which will completely meet the country’s needs.
In addition to INK, Gazprom is also interested in the possibilities of extracting lithium from brines. The company is studying the potential of the Lithium site and assessing its reserves. The greatest potential for such projects is concentrated in the Irkutsk and Orenburg regions, as well as in Yakutia and Dagestan.
Already today, 25 licenses have been issued in Russia for the use of industrial waters to produce lithium. Most of them, more than three quarters, are located in the Irkutsk region. This confirms the region’s status as a key one for the new industry.
Thus, the introduction of technology for extracting lithium from groundwater can radically change the Russian mineral resource base. This will reduce dependence on imports and give a powerful impetus to the development of high-tech industries.
The material was prepared with the support of the Russian Ministry of Education and Science as part of the Decade of Science and Technology.
Source: @dprom
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