Lithium: Fundamental Supply/Demand, The Lithium Brines of South America and Exploration/Development Methodologies

Abstract

Demand for electric vehicles has surprised to the upside in the past year with a widening realisation of a significant shortfall in supply of lithium for lithium ion batteries from both hard rock and brine sources. South American lithium brines contribute approximately 50% of global lithium supply but new supply developments are choked in the short to medium time due to development timelines and regulatory restrictions. Current exploration and development methodologies of lithium brines are reviewed with the latest extraction techniques summarised.