Keck Center of the National Academies - Room 100

As the global energy transition accelerates, geologic brines are an increasingly important resource category which offers the potential for economic critical mineral recovery, with potentially a lower environmental impact. Brines are defined as basinal or connate waters with elevated concentrations of sodium and potassium salts, along with associated dissolved metals and minerals. Specific mineral resources depend on the geologic setting of the brine, and include lithium, manganese, boron, bromine, potash, phosphates, potassium, magnesium, soda ash, sodium sulfate, and rare earths. Brines can occur as co-produced waters with oil and gas, associated with geothermal production, and independently as stand-alone resources. This webinar will examine domestic mineral reserves found in brines, and will examine the origin and longevity of the resource, the different mineral extraction technologies, and the potential environmental impacts of developing these resources.