KAUST scientists have developed an innovative technology that could place Saudi Arabia at the forefront of the lucrative lithium production industry. The researchers presented their innovative technology in a study published in Science, which describes a method for direct lithium extraction from brine in oilfields and seawater. Lithium is present in these sources at very low concentrations, making it difficult to extract in useful quantities.

However, this new technology makes this otherwise inaccessible lithium extractable on an industrial scale. The technology was demonstrated on a pilot scale 100,000 times larger than that of a university laboratory, and its cost was competitive relative to standard lithium mining extraction techniques. Accessing lithium in brine can expand the availability of lithium worldwide by several hundreds of billions of tons and may transition Saudi Arabia from a major importer to producer of this highly sought-after element.  

The innovation, which achieves extraction without introducing any pollutants or additives, can extract lithium from brine at concentrations as low as 20 parts per million — a remarkable achievement that makes lithium extraction economical for sources that contain low lithium concentrations, such as the oilfields of across Saudi Arabia.  

"We optimized a redox electrode bridge to harness the osmotic energy generated by the concentration different between the highly saline brine and the recovery solution, reducing the energy consumption in the lithium extraction process," said KAUST Professor Zhiping Lai, who is also co-chair of the KAUST Center of Excellence for Renewable Energy and Storage Technologies and a lead researcher of the project. 

He added that these types of innovations can create new value in oilfields, mining and geothermal wells, all sites that produce water that is currently treated as waste.  

Global demand for lithium is accelerating                                                                                                 

Saudi Arabia has publicly declared its intention to source lithium from overseas as part of its energy strategy. However, the Kingdom may already have sources rich in lithium in its surrounding seas and oil fields. Brine and seawater are estimated to contain over 10,000 times more lithium than conventional lithium reserves, and accessing the lithium in these sources could increase the world’s lithium resources from 22 million tons to more than 230 billion.  

"Local lithium extraction strengthens the resilience of the supply chain and enhances national energy security. This innovation could propel Saudi Arabia into a leadership role in the global clean energy market, boosting its international influence and trade," said Li.  

Industry sees value 

KAUST startup Lihytech, founded by Lai and his colleague KAUST Professor Kuo-Wei (Andy) Huang, who also contributed to the study, is aiming to bring this technology from laboratory to market. The startup has received an initial investment of $6 million from the Saudi mining company Ma’aden and the KAUST Innovation Fund (KIV). In September, Lihytech and Aramco announced a partnership in which the international conglomerate is providing brine from its oilfields to test the technology's lithium extraction capabilities. 

"Our goal is to establish a full-scale production and operation and generate significant lithium output within Saudi Arabia by 2028," said Huang.