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Following these seven guidelines would help minimize the environmental impacts of lithium extraction: Notably, one cannot rank potential environmental impact by extraction method alone. The environmental impacts of lithium extraction are a function of the extraction method, technology used, the scale of production, and specific ecological and hydrological conditions present at an extraction site. For example, a lithium extraction site using evaporative concentration of brine could potentially be just as impactful to lands and waters as a hard rock pit mine site. Conversely, a strip-mined site might not use much water on-site if clays from a playa are removed and transported elsewhere for processing. Hundreds of species have been recorded within the 72 proposed lithium extraction sites, including 248 rare and/or special status species. Wetland habitats occur within extraction sites in all nine states. To engage further in understanding the site-specific risks of lithium extraction, more detailed analyses must be performed. These will require in-depth analyses of hydrogeology, as groundwater issues are key to understanding impacts at a lithium extraction site. Given that many of the species recorded at proposed extraction sites are wetland-dependent, a future analysis of cumulative impacts on wetland habitats and the species they support is needed to fully understand the impact of lithium extraction at a regional to continental scale. For our economic analysis, we found that based on 2021 global lithium demand, the contiguous United States has enough lithium to potentially supply the world for over a century. However, the extent to which these lithium resources will be extracted depends on both further development of new techniques such as DLE and economic considerations. The lithium market is very dynamic, current demand is increasing rapidly, and prices are very high as demand cannot be fully met by available supply. Increases in supply will occur over a number of years as developing new projects or expanding existing ones can be a lengthy process. Firms will make decisions about whether to pursue individual lithium projects depending on forecasted prices and technical and economic considerations. The concentration of lithium resources considered economically viable will likely fluctuate due to these factors. Prioritize projects that avoid or minimize impacts on species or ecosystems. Any federal or state incentives should only reward or be offered to the least impactful extraction approaches. Prioritize projects that use direct lithium extraction from brine. Analyze connectivity between lithium-containing underground brines and other groundwater or surface waters. Based on findings of the analysis, require implementation of adequate environmental oversight and triggers to prevent ecological harm and groundwater depletion. In the arid west, triggers should be based on modeling given the long lag time between water extraction and natural recharge. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 1. 2. Post extraction, re-inject brine into the same aquifer from which it was removed. Post-extraction brine should be contaminant- free to minimize re-injection risks. Ensure that water use by all processes at the extraction site can be accommodated without causing a drop in the water table that would impact species or habitats dependent on groundwater. Water use for lithium extraction must be considered in light of all other uses of water within the region. Ensure that all waste streams resulting from extraction and processing of brine are properly managed and that waste does not pose a hazard for human health or wildlife, or result in contamination of air, water, or soils. Ensure reclamation over the long term through bonds or other measures. Prioritize projects where pre-existing infrastructure is present at the site, i.e., brine is already pumped and reinjected at the site for some other purpose and adding lithium extraction to the site would not necessitate additional disturbance of lands. Potential Lithium Extraction in the United States: Environmental, Economic, and Policy Implications 5 AUGUST 2022PDF Image | Potential Lithium Extraction in the United States
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Product and Development Focus for Infinity Turbine
ORC Waste Heat Turbine and ORC System Build Plans: All turbine plans are $10,000 each. This allows you to build a system and then consider licensing for production after you have completed and tested a unit.Redox Flow Battery Technology: With the advent of the new USA tax credits for producing and selling batteries ($35/kW) we are focussing on a simple flow battery using shipping containers as the modular electrolyte storage units with tax credits up to $140,000 per system. Our main focus is on the salt battery. This battery can be used for both thermal and electrical storage applications. We call it the Cogeneration Battery or Cogen Battery. One project is converting salt (brine) based water conditioners to simultaneously produce power. In addition, there are many opportunities to extract Lithium from brine (salt lakes, groundwater, and producer water).Salt water or brine are huge sources for lithium. Most of the worlds lithium is acquired from a brine source. It's even in seawater in a low concentration. Brine is also a byproduct of huge powerplants, which can now use that as an electrolyte and a huge flow battery (which allows storage at the source).We welcome any business and equipment inquiries, as well as licensing our turbines for manufacturing.CONTACT TEL: 608-238-6001 Email: greg@infinityturbine.com (Standard Web Page)