As we transition to a future powered by sustainable energy, the global demand for critical minerals like lithium is skyrocketing. This surge in demand requires fast and significant production growth, without compromising sustainability.

With a century of subsurface knowledge, SLB can uniquely identify and model lithium reserves and aquifer behaviors to optimize production. We’ve used this expertise and experience to develop innovative technology and an integrated process to prove that sustainable lithium production is possible. SLB is introducing the first-of-a-kind, integrated sustainable lithium production process. This holistic approach optimizes all systems and technologies to minimize the use of land, water, energy, and chemicals to produce the most sustainable battery-grade lithium.

At our plant in Clayton Valley, Nevada, we’ve accelerated lithium production with higher recovery rates, optimized water management, and minimal environmental impact—demonstrating that our integrated solution is ready for commercial-scale deployment.

Our sustainable lithium production process: First, raw brine is sourced from the subsurface. The brine is then pretreated to remove impurities and adjust its temperature and pH. It then passes through direct lithium extraction columns where resin selectively absorbs lithium ions while rejecting most undesired ions. The next step is to flush the absorbed lithium. This process recovers 85%–95% of lithium from the brine, significantly higher than the 35%–50% recovery rate of conventional methods. We subsequently eliminate residual impurities by using advanced water treatment and purification technologies. A desalination technique is applied to produce a highly concentrated lithium chloride solution. Lithium chloride can then be refined onsite into battery-grade lithium carbonate or hydroxide. This complete process, which takes just hours, yields the battery-input material needed to power global electrification. Lastly, we practice advanced water management by reinjecting the lithium-free brine back into the reservoir after thorough testing. This enables us to produce more lithium while using less water.

At SLB, we help to redefine the standard for sustainable lithium production to meet the energy demand of tomorrow.