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General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: NEW2elec on April 13, 2016, 07:56:11 PM

Title: Supply and demand Still no free lunch
Post by: NEW2elec on April 13, 2016, 07:56:11 PM

Well I knew it was coming but this pretty much breaks down the new white oil market.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/tesla-other-tech-giants-scramble-224732356.html

Title: Re: Supply and demand Still no free lunch
Post by: protomech on April 14, 2016, 12:56:06 AM

Quote

Lithium sourced from brines, or salt water, is the most cost-effective on the market, and sourcing enough of it right at home would be a coup for all sides in the battery, storage and EV game.

I think this means salt water that is mined; the brines are left outside to evaporate away the water and leave the lithium carbonate.

Seawater can also supposedly be used to provide lithium, which - like the Canadian oil sands have done for oil - puts a certain ceiling on the price of lithium. At a certain price point the supply is essentially unlimited.

I'm curious what that price point is. I don't know of any significant amount of lithium that is produced from seawater today.