Life cycle assessment and water use impacts of lithium production from salar deposits: Challenges and opportunities

Halkes, Rowan T.; Hughes, Andrew; Wall, Frances; Petavratzi, Evi; Pell, Robert; Lindsay, Jordan J.. 2024 Life cycle assessment and water use impacts of lithium production from salar deposits: Challenges and opportunities. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 207, 107554. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2024.107554

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2024.107554

Abstract/Summary

Lithium is a critical raw material for the energy transition and the salar brine deposits of South America host ∼70% of global resources. However, there are concerns regarding water use, and the associated impacts, of lithium production from these deposits. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is becoming increasingly prevalent in the analysis of raw materials sustainability, but current methods are regarded as unsatisfactory for assessing water use impacts related to lithium production from salar deposits. This work explores the challenges and opportunities for improvement in this context. We outline how the classification and assessment of water types could be improved and identify Water Availability Assessments, groundwater specific CFs, salar-specific methodologies and multiple mid-point indicators as areas for further investigation. This will aid the development of LCA methodology and enable an improved assessment of the sustainability of lithium production from salar deposits in South America and by extension help decouple decarbonisation efforts from negative impacts.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2024.107554
ISSN:	09213449
Date made live:	30 Jul 2024 14:33 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/537785

Item Type:

Publication - Article

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2024.107554

ISSN:

09213449

Date made live:

30 Jul 2024 14:33 +0 (UTC)

URI:

https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/537785