Texas company announces launch of first US lithium project in decades: 'A watershed moment for innovation'

Element3, a Fort Worth-based company, is launching the first lithium mining project in the U.S. in nearly 50 years. 

The project takes waste from the Permian Basin, a nearby oil field, and turns it into lithium carbonate. Element3 extracts the lithium from the basin's produced water, which contains salts, hydrocarbon compounds, and chemicals. It's the first commercial-scale lithium mining project of its kind in the Permian Basin, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

Lithium is an essential element for electric vehicle batteries, but it is not always mined sustainably. While EVs are still better for the planet than gas-powered cars, critics have pointed out the energy- and water-intensive practices that are typically used in mining. This can add to heat-trapping pollution, warming the planet. 

Luckily, researchers have been looking at alternative ways to extract lithium without traditional hard-rock mining. Element3 said on its website that the oil and gas industry produces 1 trillion gallons of wastewater each year.

Produced water has valuable minerals that are mostly discarded. With its new project, Element3 estimates it can extract 250,000 tons of lithium carbonate from this water annually — enough to power around 5 million EVs, according to Element3.

"This is a watershed moment for innovation in critical materials, with Element3 taking a leadership position," the company told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

This method of using produced water decreases carbon and water pollution from lithium extraction by 90%, according to Element3.

EVs are becoming more popular and accessible, underscoring the need for a reliable and efficient domestic supply of lithium. When drivers switch to electric, they can save up to $1,500 per year on gas and maintenance expenses. 

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