⚡ Scientists just cracked the code to harvest lithium from deserts and salt lakes – and it could supercharge the clean energy revolution! An Australian-Chinese research team developed a nanofiltration method that extracts lithium from extreme environments like China's high-altitude Longmu Co Lake, previously deemed untappable.
💧 Dubbed EALNF tech, this innovation uses a special EDTA solution to filter lithium and magnesium from brines with 90% efficiency – nearly doubling traditional yields. Even cooler? It slashes extraction time from years to weeks, per lead researcher Li Zhikao of Monash University.
📈 With lithium demand set to outpace supply by 2025, this breakthrough couldn’t come at a better time. Remote deserts in China, Bolivia, and beyond now become viable lithium sources without massive water/gadget requirements. Bonus: Magnesium byproducts get recycled into sellable materials instead of becoming waste. Talk about a power-up!
🌐 The tech is already prepped for industrial scaling, potentially reshaping global battery supply chains. As Zhang Xiwang from the University of Queensland put it: 'This unlocks Mother Nature’s hidden treasure chests.' Ready for your EV battery to get cheaper? 🔋💸
