Tech

We were making fun of Fool's Gold. Now, it may energize our future.

Lithium is steadily becoming the most important element for the future, as it's used in smartphones, laptops, electric cars, and even at the heart of future technologies like nuclear fusion reactors. But extracting lithium is costly, both economically and environmentally, and a new study suggests that pyrite (also known as fool's gold) may be a potential source of lithium. That's big news. Although this interaction between pyrite and lithium is not well understood, it is possible that past and present oil and gas operations may paradoxically be a source of the very minerals intended to replace greenhouse gas-emitting fuels. It may mean that there is a gender.

Lithium is one of the most important elements on the periodic table. Because this material is lightweight and easily gains and loses ions, it is at the heart of the batteries that power just about everything in the world of technology.

But lithium's importance goes beyond the iPhone. Lithium-6, a soft metal isotope, is essential for breeding tritium, the hydrogen isotope at the heart of nuclear fusion. For these reasons, plus the rapid growth of the EV revolution and the dire need for green energy battery storage, the U.S. government has deemed lithium (also known as white gold) a critical mineral.

In other words, the world runs on lithium.

But while lithium has amazing benefits, it also has some major drawbacks. First, their highly reactive nature means that most lithium-ion batteries are essentially nothing more than controlled bombs in long lines at airport security checkpoints. It is also not easy to extract, as it is often trapped in igneous rocks or salt water.

The world is seeking more lithium sources, and new research from West Virginia University's Isotopic and Biogeochemical Characterization of Geological Materials (IsoBioGeM) Laboratory recently revealed an unprecedented source of this precious mineral, pyrite. We have discovered another type of gold that could be. Or known by its more derogatory nickname, “Fool's Gold.”

Scientists made a surprising discovery after analyzing 15 sedimentary rock samples from the Appalachian Basin dating back to the mid-Devonian period, about 400 million years ago. The lithium source was found in the pyrite minerals of the shale. This means that organic-rich shales may contain higher concentrations of lithium than previously thought, due to a little-known interaction between lithium and pyrite. The scientists presented their findings on Monday at the 2024 EGU General Assembly.

These initial findings suggest that pyrite, combined with organic matter, may play a previously unrecognized role in Li distribution in organic-rich shales, the study summarizes. It is written inThe geochemical processes that can cause pyrite-associated Li enrichment are not well understood.[but] Using material from previous industrial operations (e.g. mine tailings or drilling shavings) as a source of additional Li may be attractive as it generates little or no new waste. .

While discovering new potential sources of lithium is certainly exciting, this particular method is also a very environmentally friendly option. Starting up a new lithium mine takes significant time, money, and environmental degradation, so extracting lithium from past and present oil and gas operations could make the transition away from the very greenhouse gas-producing fossil fuels easier. There is a possibility that it will happen. That's because industrial mining operations, especially mine tailings and drill chips, can contain residual lithium deposits in the pyrite minerals left behind in the shale.

Pyrite, humiliated for centuries, is now ready to accept your apology.

Darren lives in Portland and has a cat. She writes/edits about science fiction and how the world works. If you look hard enough, you can find his previous articles on Gizmodo and Paste.

Sources

1/ https://Google.com/

2/ https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/environment/a60513631/fools-gold/

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