California has a history of gold rushes, like the infamous 1848 California gold rush. This rush to find gold in California has grown the state to what it is today. Recently, a new discovery has been made in the state, lithium.
What is Lithium?
Lithium is an alkali metal used as the main ingredient for a battery. This type of battery is commonly referred to as a “Lithium-Ion battery.” These types of batteries are rechargeable, making them especially useful in our growing world. As the threat of climate change becomes closer, the need to move away from fossil fuels grows, and the need to go to renewables increases. Lithium is found in Tesla cars, cell phones, computers, and practically any electronic device. The need for it is profound. But do we have enough of it?
The Salton Sea
Recently, 3400 tons of lithium have been discovered in the Salton Sea, with more possibly to be discovered. This amount of lithium could support “375 million batteries for electric vehicles,” according to the US Department of Energy. As more countries make goals toward going carbon-free, the need for more electric vehicles increases. This is where the Salton Sea comes into play. Companies have set up systems to extract this vital resource. Companies like DLE Technologies use a process known as Direct Lithium Extraction, or DLE, hence the name of their company.
Currently, many companies have raced to the salton sea, like present-day oil in Saudi Arabia. This boom to the region is much needed, as pollution in the area has caused the area to be abandoned, but with recent demand, the future is bright for many locals. All the demand in the region will bring property values up for the locals, helping them obtain a better future for themselves. Although, there is a problem with this all of a sudden demand - water. Like neighboring Californian cities, the area relies on a limited resource-The Colorado River. The Colorado River is currently in decline, and giving the population clean drinking water will be hard given the problems the river is facing. Combined with the pollution in the groundwater resources in the region, clean water will hurt the growth of this region.
The area must adapt water cleansing technology, like it is currently doing. Many of the locals are using technologies that extract water from the air, to drink. Although this solution seems viable, it is very expensive and work still needs to be done before this area grows.
The Future
The reality is that Lithium is not particularly rare. What is hard about the process is extraction. Resources need to be easy to work with, and places like the Salton Sea allow DLE to work particularly well. In-order to create a better future that lowers the reliance on fossil fuels, we need more engineers capable of working on such technologies, refining it, to make it as efficient as possible with little-to-none environmental damage. This is the main problem with lithium extraction, to extract this “liquid gold” we need more research and tests to create a better solution to this vital resource we need to extract.This is where you come in, the reader. The world needs motivated people and students like you to work in such processes, to create a future in which climate change is no-longer a threat to our civilization. So, students, put on your lab coat now, and if you choose to work in this new future, get a degree in chemical, material, or civil engineering. Combined with the water crisis in the region, it is necessary for students to go into civil engineering to ensure a better future for lithium and society.
Works Cited:
Martin, Glen. (2024, March 14). California’s Salton Sea Could be the Mother Lode of Lithium. https://alumni.berkeley.edu/california-magazine/online/californias-salton-sea-could-be-the-mother-lode-of-lithium/
U.S Department of Energy. (2023, November 28). U.S. Department of Energy Analysis Confirms California’s Salton Sea Region to Be a Rich Domestic Lithium Resource. https://www.energy.gov/eere/articles/us-department-energy-analysis-confirms-californias-salton-sea-region-be-rich-domestic
Oamek, Paige. (2022, November 16). Will Lithium Mining Turn California's Salton Sea into a Green Energy Sacrifice Zone? https://inthesetimes.com/article/lithium-mining-california-salton-sea-green-energy
Olalde, Mark. (2020, May 8). Well-known Salton Sea origin story questioned by new research, suggesting it wasn't 'accidental'. https://www.desertsun.com/story/news/environment/2020/05/08/well-known-salton-sea-origin-story-questioned-new-research/3083262001/
Kim, June. (2023, September 5). California’s Salton Sea Eyed for Lithium Extraction With New Tech. https://undark.org/2023/09/05/californias-salton-sea-eyed-for-lithium-extraction-with-new-tech/