- There are many snags here.
The technique is unproven, and difficult due to lithium's chemistry.
It is a monovalent ion that is difficult to distinguish from others such as sodium, he says.
The problem is not that the techniques for extracting lithium are lacking, but because they are difficult to operate on an industrial scale, according to Christian Ekberg.
Another potential problem is the suspicion that lithium may be harmful to humans – an issue that the European Commission is currently investigating.
- There will be gigantic effects for both extraction, recycling and battery manufacturing itself.
Now it's just a matter of digging it out of the ground or taking what bubbles up and pouring it into tanks - but if it's classified as harmful to health, you have to take a completely different approach.
- Lithium is used in various contexts, such as as a sedative.
So it has effects, the question is just how much you have to ingest.
Why haven't more countries started mining lithium? Hear Christian Ekberg in the clip.