Presently, lithium is a highly demanded material to manufacture batteries for EVs. But this leads to over extraction and increasing waste, leading to more pollution. To cater to this, researchers are looking for safe and cost-effective sources during which they discovered that pyrite materials could replace lithium.
Shailee Bhattacharya, a sedimentary geochemist and PhD student at West Virginia University’s IsoBioGeM Lab analyzed 15 middle-Devonian sedimentary rock samples from the Appalachian region of the United States. She discovered considerable lithium concentrations in pyrite minerals in shale.
She presented or will present her approach at the European Geosciences Union (EGU) General Assembly 2024 that is happening from 14th to 19th April 2024.
Bhattacharya said, “The study focuses on 15 middle-Devonian sedimentary rock samples from the Appalachian basin in the U.S. The team found plenty of lithium in pyrite minerals in shale, which is unheard of.”
Moreover, she added, “Though the geologic literature lacked information on the intersection between lithium and sulfur-rich pyrite, the electrochemical and engineering world has already begun to look at how lithium-sulfur batteries could replace lithium-ion ones. I am trying to understand how lithium and pyrite could be associated with one another.”
Highlights
- Organic-rich shale can provide higher lithium recovery due to the remarkable lithium-pyrite interaction.
- Pyrite materials could replace lithium in certain applications, which highlights the need for alternative energy resources.
- It is unclear whether the observations can be concluded beyond the particular study site.
Bhattacharya emphasized, “This is a well-specific study, We can talk about sustainable energy without using a lot of energy resources,”
The discovery that pyrite materials could replace lithium is interesting. This is because certain shales possibly serve as lithium sources without the need for additional mining operations.
It is interesting to read about UT’s Researchers Hydrogen Fuel from Iron-Rich Rocks.
About Lithium
It is widely used in electric vehicles and storing renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power. Lithium has strong reactivity which is demonstrated when it interacts violently with innocuous water releasing heat and extremely flammable hydrogen. Despite its dangers, lithium’s reactivity makes it a perfect material for batteries which are essential for the green energy revolution.
Source: Abstract EGU24-369
