📊Executive Summary

Researchers at MIT have developed a new lower-temperature method for extracting lithium from hard rock minerals, which could significantly reduce production costs and energy use in battery supply chains. This innovative process not only produces battery-grade lithium materials but also recovers alumina and silica as by-products, making it more competitive with traditional brine extraction methods. The new technique could potentially lower hard rock lithium extraction costs by approximately 50%, enhancing the viability of lithium production in regions outside of China, which currently dominates the market. This advancement is particularly relevant as the demand for lithium continues to rise due to its critical role in electric vehicles and energy storage systems....