Spodumene – richer than brine in lithium, quicker to process

At one time, spodumene was the primary source of lithium production, but the industry transitioned to extracting lithium from brines because of the significantly lower operating costs. As a result, producers focused on developing brine deposits, while spodumene sources remained largely ignored. However, exploding demand for lithium is calling for more lithium-bearing resources than ever before. This, in combination with spodumene’s high lithium content, has made the exploration for and development of hard-rock lithium deposits a highly attractive endeavor. In addition to its high concentration of lithium, lithium extraction from spodumene also typically offers lower capital costs and a shorter time from discovery to production in comparison to brine operations. *mckinsey on Lithium mining: How new production technologies could fuel the global EV revolution