r/Futurology • u/ToffeeFever • Sep 10 '23

Energy Lithium discovery in US volcano could be biggest deposit ever found

https://www.chemistryworld.com/news/lithium-discovery-in-us-volcano-could-be-biggest-deposit-ever-found/4018032.article
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u/ToffeeFever Sep 10 '23

A world-beating deposit of lithium along the Nevada–Oregon border could meet surging demand for this metal, according to a new analysis.

An estimated 20 to 40 million tonnes of lithium metal lie within a volcanic crater formed around 16 million years ago. This is notably larger than the lithium deposits found beneath a Bolivian salt flat, previously considered the largest deposit in the world.

New in situ analysis reveals that an unusual claystone, composed of the mineral illite, contains 1.3% to 2.4% of lithium in the volcanic crater. This is almost double the lithium present in the main lithium-bearing clay mineral, magnesium smectite, which is more common than illite.

94

u/Commissar-Porkchop Sep 10 '23

So...

Where should I dump my money to have the biggest chance of benefitting from this in 20 years?

51

u/[deleted] Sep 10 '23

LAC will be mining this at least it looks like

26

u/MailOrderHusband Sep 11 '23

The LA Clippers? That’s a terrible investment!

1

u/JacksGallbladder Sep 11 '23

Where did you hear this?

2

u/[deleted] Sep 11 '23

It’s in the article

2

u/JacksGallbladder Sep 11 '23

I'm a dork :)

20

u/[deleted] Sep 11 '23

[deleted]

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u/-NotEnoughMinerals Sep 11 '23

Doesn't Albemarle own that massive mine in Chile? The one in the desert that uses copious amounts of water (1,000 gallons of water for 1 battery I believe), drying out Chile, screwing over the people there? It's like growing almonds in California.

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u/Syke_qc Sep 11 '23

Lithium america, specially now, ive been byuing for over à year, next uear might double.

LAC ftw!

3

u/cheeze_whiz_bomb Sep 11 '23

‘The material could be best described as looking ‘a bit like brown potter’s clay’, says Christopher Henry, emeritus professor of geology at the University of Nevada in Reno. ‘It is extremely uninteresting, except that it has so much lithium in it.’

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u/Foinatorol Sep 11 '23

Standing by for WCGW when mining out the core of an inactive volcano.