Australia mines nearly half of the world's lithium — the tough-to-gather vital metal needed for common batteries.
All the digging leaves some hazardous byproducts, including delithiated beta spodumene. In answer, Flinders University scientists are developing a geopolymer concrete mix that uses it in lieu of traditional binder materials, reducing production pollution in the process, according to a news release.
"The capability to reuse this in construction offers a sustainable solution that will reduce industrial waste, prevent potential soil and groundwater contamination, and support circular economic practices in the mining and building sectors," researcher Aliakbar Gholampour said.
It's an innovation with potential to improve two crucial products. For its part, concrete is our most-used substance except for water. It requires an energy-hungry manufacturing process that churns out 8% of the planet's air pollution, according to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Lithium is vital to cleaner technology that uses reliable batteries. Our World in Data said that it's also a part of pharmaceuticals, optics, ceramics, and glass. But mining and processing it have documented environmental risks, including hazardous byproducts.
Delithiated beta spodumene, or DBS, can be used as a fly ash binder replacement, improving strength and durability in concrete. Fly ash itself is a byproduct of burning coal. DBS is more environmentally friendly, and its application could be massive when considering that nearly 30 million tons of the building material are made yearly, per Flinders.
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That's why materials experts around the world are developing alternatives, including ones inspired by ancient Roman methods. Some innovations are appetizing, such as sugarcane-based bricks created in England.
Flinders' DBS research is part of a program to analyze building materials and 3D-printed concrete. The goal is the development of next-generation solutions, per the experts.
Sustainability by Numbers reported that we will need tens of millions of tons of deposits such as lithium to power sustainable technology in the coming decades, so reusing the hazardous byproducts usefully has great potential.
Comparatively, we pull 16.5 billion tons of oil, gas, and coal from Earth each year. Mining and using those fuels for energy degrade land and generate harmful air pollution. Oil and gas alone caused $77 billion in health care impacts in 2016, according to a 2023 study cited by the Natural Resources Defense Council.
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Definitely 👍 "By examining the microstructural behaviour of DBS-based geopolymers … we've gained critical insights into its suitability as a sustainable concrete ingredient," Gholampour said in the release.
Anyone can contribute to smarter product use that reduces pollution and provides for better experiences. Avoiding plastics, for example, is a great place to start. Buying a $40 reusable water bottle delivers a better experience compared to throwaway vessels, prevents loading landfills with long-lasting trash, and can save you hundreds of dollars a year.
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