Lithium, often called "white gold," is a critical resource powering modern technologies like electric vehicles (EVs), renewable energy storage, and more. This week, we explore lithium's geological formation, mining, processing, and its growing importance in the energy revolution. We also dive into exciting developments in Arkansas, which could make the U.S. a major player in domestic lithium production.
Learn More:
Pegmatite Geology - USGS (https://pubs.usgs.gov/pegmatite-geology)
Lithium in Clays - Nature (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-021-25989-0)
Lithium Triangle Overview - Mining Technology (https://www.mining-technology.com/features/lithium-triangle/)
Hard Rock Lithium Mining - Geology.com (https://geology.com/articles/lithium/)
Lithium Extraction from Pegmatites - Minerals Education Coalition (https://mineralseducationcoalition.org/mining-techniques/)
Brine Extraction Methods - International Energy Agency (https://www.iea.org/reports/lithium-in-mining)
Clay-Based Lithium Extraction - ScienceDirect (https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/clay-lithium)
Lithium in Batteries - Energy Storage Journal (https://www.energystoragejournal.com/lithium-ion-batteries/)
Environmental Impacts of Lithium Mining - Earthworks (https://earthworks.org/issues/lithium-mining/)
Arkansas Lithium Resources - USGS (https://www.usgs.gov/smackover-lithium)
Direct Lithium Extraction Explained - Mining Journal (https://www.mining-journal.com/direct-lithium-extraction)
Arkansas Mining Projects - Reuters (https://www.reuters.com/arkansas-lithium-project)
Fun Paper Friday
Can geomagnetic storms change flight characteristics and drag on satellites? This week we find out.
Parker, William E., and Richard Linares. "Satellite Drag Analysis During the May 2024 Geomagnetic Storm." arXiv preprint arXiv:2406.08617 (2024). (https://arxiv.org/html/2406.08617v1)
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John Leeman
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Shannon Dulin
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