Environmental Impact Assessment of Lithium Recovery from Geothermal Brines in the SS-KGRA: An Overview

Conference · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 2023

OSTI ID:2305350

Busse, MM; Stokes-Draut, J; Camarillo, MK; Millstein, D; Slattery, M; McKibben, M; Dobson, P; Stringfellow, W

There is increasing interest in securing a reliable, domestic source of lithium in the United States to support an electrified grid and energy secure future. The Salton Sea Known Geothermal Resource Area (SS-KGRA) has garnered attention for this purpose due to the abundance of lithium in brines brought to the surface for geothermal energy production in this region. Geothermal production from this field is already expected to grow from the current 400 MWe to 920 MWe in the next 3-4 years with a potential total geothermal capacity in the region estimated at nearly 2,950 MWe. With this growth, there is potential for construction and operation of new direct lithium recovery and processing facilities to meet domestic demands for lithium. In this work, we estimate the potential impact of geothermal expansion and lithium extraction in the SS-KGRA on water use, direct air emissions from facilities, and solid waste production and management.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Renewable Power Office. Geothermal Technologies Office (EE-4G)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-05CH11231
• OSTI ID: 2305350
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English