Il mercato globale del litio raggiungerà un valore di 55,8 miliardi di dollari entro il 2035 con un CAGR del 9,7%.

Estrazione diretta del litio 2025-2035: tecnologie, attori, mercati e previsioni

Analisi del mercato globale dell'estrazione del litio, incentrata sulle tecnologie per l'estrazione del litio, il recupero del litio dalle salamoie, le fonti di salamoia, i principali attori, le tendenze, le normative, i costi, la sostenibilità e le previsioni di mercato per la produzione di litio.


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The global lithium mining market is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.7% between 2025 and 2035. The lithium mining industry plays a pivotal role in supporting the transition towards renewable energy and a low-carbon future. Driven by the soaring demand for Li-ion batteries for energy storage applications and electric vehicles, the demand for critical materials, such as lithium, is increasingly rapidly, necessitating swift and substantial increases in production. Alongside this rapid growth, there is a growing awareness on sustainability throughout the battery value chain. Therefore, advancements in the lithium mining sector are crucial, as they determine how lithium supply can meet the surging demand in an economically and environmentally sustainable manner.
 
This report offers a comprehensive overview of both established and emerging techniques for mining lithium from natural resources. It focuses particularly on a collection of technologies known as direct lithium extraction (DLE), which have the potential to unlock lithium from brine more efficiently, with improved recovery rates and additional environmental, social, and governance (ESG) benefits. These DLE technologies are introduced and discussed in terms of their technological advancements, market dynamics, and future outlook.
 
Mismatch in lithium resources versus mined
Lithium is mined through two methods: (i) extraction from hard rock minerals and (ii) extraction from brine resources. However, lithium production from these sources does not scale proportionately to the size of their respective reserves. Although brine resources constitute approximately 60% of global lithium reserves, they only account for about 35% of global lithium production. In contrast, hard rock mining, which has significant environmental impacts and a lower natural occurrence (around 30% of global reserves), contributes to over 60% of global lithium production. The discrepancy in lithium resources versus mined is related to the lithium extraction techniques employed on different lithium resources. Nevertheless, it suggests that there exists significant untapped potential for lithium extraction from brine.
 
Direct lithium extraction: Redefining brine mining's potential
Conventional brine mining relies on evaporation ponds, with the lithium extraction process spanning 12-24 months and a yield between 40-60%. The rate and yield at which lithium is produced cannot compete with the hard rock mining method. Additionally, its economic and technical feasibility is restricted to specific geographical locations that possess suitable brine resources, climatic conditions, and necessary land for pond infrastructure. Thus, conventional brine mining has struggled to compete with hard rock mining in an era with rapid growing lithium demand.
 
DLE forms an emerging class of technologies that could overcome many restrictions that conventional brine mining endures while offering additional ESG benefits. Selective lithium extraction from brines can be achieved with DLE to produce lithium more quickly and at higher yields, bypassing the need for evaporation ponds. This also enables utilization of a wider range of brine resources such as geothermal and oilfield brines across different geographical locations which could help to localize the battery supply chain. Finally, regulations on lithium mining are evolving (such as Chile's National Lithium Strategy) to incentivize extraction technologies with low environmental impacts.
 
Challenges for DLE implementation
The benefits of DLE present a compelling investment opportunity, particularly in times where lithium demand is rapidly increasing. However, there are several challenges that increase the risk profile of DLE projects. Firstly, variations in brine compositions and process conditions necessitate the development of diverse DLE technologies. Six classes of DLE technologies have evolved, with each class exhibiting a unique set of strengths and weaknesses. Given that no two brine resources are identical, there is no single universally optimal DLE solution for all brines. This variability necessitates extensive testing to identify the best investment opportunities.
 
Lithium extraction and recovery technologies covered in this report. Source: IDTechEx
 
Currently, the most understood and commercially proven DLE technology is adsorption DLE, which is operated in Argentina and China. This method uses aluminum-based sorbents to capture lithium and water to release lithium salts, typically lithium chloride. The process of releasing the lithium salts is known as desorption, and the solution containing the captured lithium is referred to as eluate. Ion exchange DLE is the second most developed technology, featuring companies like Lilac Solutions and Standard Lithium. This technology uses manganese or titanium-based sorbents to capture lithium and releases lithium salts (lithium chloride or lithium sulfate) by washing with an acid, such as hydrochloric acid. A significant advantage of ion exchange DLE is its ability to extract lithium from lower-grade brines (below 100 mg/L Li) and produce eluate with higher lithium concentrations (typically over 2000 mg/L) without requiring pre- or post-concentration techniques. Consequently, the need for water separation and brine concentration is lower compared to adsorption DLE. However, the use of acids poses challenges, as they must be transported to the sites if not produced on-site, and the long-term performance of ion exchange materials needs monitoring due to potential degradation and dissolution in acid. Several players, including Standard Lithium and Controlled Thermal Resources, have opted for adsorption DLE after evaluating ion exchange DLE. E3 Lithium, who developed its proprietary ion exchange technologies, announced to proceed with an unnamed third party for its first commercial plant. Confidence in ion exchange DLE may improve once the technology is commercially proven.
 
Developments in other classes of DLE have comparatively lagged. Solvent extraction DLE and membrane DLE have reached pilot and demonstration scales, while electrochemical and chemical precipitation DLE remain in laboratory development. Further research is necessary to advance these technologies. It's important to note that DLE is largely unproven without evaporation ponds and has not yet been proven on unconventional resources such as geothermal and oilfield brines. Finally, the economics and sustainability profile of DLE (including metrics such as carbon emission), needs improvement to compete with conventional brine evaporation method.
 
Comprehensive analysis and future outlook
This report provides an in-depth analysis of the DLE sector. It covers lithium extraction and recovery technologies from brine, market activity related to DLE, and sustainability and cost considerations of DLE, benchmarked with conventional brine evaporation and hard rock mining. Additionally, the report covers lithium related regulations and incentives in Boliva, Chile, Argentina, China, USA and Europe. Several business models have evolved in the field, and DLE players can be classified into four categories, each with a unique investment approach outlined by IDTechEx. The report covers a10-year forecast period, offering detailed market predictions and trends. The global lithium mining market is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.7% between 2025 and 2035, with brine (DLE) identified as the fastest-growing segment at a CAGR of 19.6%. This high growth rate in the brine (DLE) segment is expected to disrupt the brine mining market. The forecast for the brine (DLE) segment is further broken down by technology, country, and brine resource type, highlighting the distinct attributes of various DLE projects. This detailed segmentation will be of interest to a wide range of industries, including oil & gas, water treatment and desalination.
 
Lithium production capacity from lithium mining by source type in 2023 and 2035. Source: IDTechEx.
Key aspects of this report include:
  • History and context in lithium mining.
  • Natural forms of lithium resources, their global distribution and lithium production outlook.
  • A discussion on the market dynamics of the lithium industry.
  • An overview of established and emerging technologies for lithium mining.
  • A comprehensive evaluation of technologies for direct lithium extraction (DLE) and lithium recovery from brines.
  • Six SWOT analyses on lithium extraction and recovery technologies, including adsorption, ion exchange, solvent extraction, membrane, electrochemical and chemical precipitation technologies.
  • Numerous case studies on key players and emerging DLE projects, including conventional brine resources and unconventional brine resources like geothermal and oilfield brines.
  • Technological trends and commercial potentials of lithium extraction technologies.
  • Policies and regulatory frameworks for lithium mining and future prospects.
  • Sustainability and cost profiles for hard rock, conventional brine mining and DLE brine mining.
  • An overview of key players, partnerships, venture funding and business models within the sector.
  • Lithium production outlook and forecasts until 2035 by production capacity, decomposed by source type (with specified resource and mining methods) and detailed projections on DLE segmented by technology, country and brine types.
Report MetricsDetails
CAGRThe global lithium market will reach a value of $US55.8 billion by 2035 with a CAGR of 9.7%.
Forecast Period2025 - 2035
Forecast UnitsVolume (ktonne), Value ($US billion)
Regions CoveredWorldwide
Segments CoveredLithium mining market divided by lithium resources (hard rock, brine and sedimentary lithium), further segmented into source types where contribution to brine mining is split into brine (conventional) and brine (DLE); the brine DLE sector is further segmented by extraction technology (adsorption, ion exchange, solvent extraction and membrane).
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Table of Contents
1.EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
1.1.Where can lithium be found in nature?
1.2.Incumbent and emerging methods for lithium mining & extraction
1.3.DLE: key drivers and challenges
1.4.The overall process of recovering lithium using DLE technologies
1.5.An overview of technologies for lithium recovery
1.6.Technology comparisons by maturity and function
1.7.DLE methods overview (1)
1.8.DLE methods overview (2)
1.9.Comparing Al/Mn/Ti-based sorbents
1.10.Technology for lithium recovery: challenges, opportunities and recommendations (1)
1.11.Technology for lithium recovery: challenges, opportunities and recommendations (2)
1.12.A map of status on DLE technology developers
1.13.Business models by DLE player activity
1.14.Business models by Li recovery process (via DLE)
1.15.Lithium extraction by resource type
1.16.Attributes of lithium extraction projects
1.17.Brine resource, regulation and state of development by region
1.18.Trends in direct lithium extraction (DLE)
1.19.Overview of global lithium production in 2023
1.20.Global lithium production in 2023 by country
1.21.Lithium production forecast from mining and extraction 2023-2035
1.22.Global lithium market 2025-2035
1.23.Li production contribution from brine extraction
1.24.DLE forecast by extraction technology
1.25.Key findings: DLE project development
1.26.The characteristics of different DLE players
1.27.Outlook of lithium supply vs demand 2023-2035
1.28.Access More With an IDTechEx Subscription
2.INTRODUCTION TO LITHIUM MINING & EXTRACTION
2.1.Where is lithium used?
2.2.Differences between lithium carbonate and hydroxide
2.3.Historic lithium prices (2019-2024 1H)
2.4.The volatility of lithium prices
2.5.Where can lithium be found in nature?
2.6.Types of lithium brine deposits
2.7.Introduction to hard rock and sediment-hosted lithium resources
2.8.Lithium resource split by country (1)
2.9.Lithium resource split by country (2)
2.10.Extraction processes for different lithium deposits
2.11.Lithium recovery from continental brine via evaporation pond
2.12.Commercial brine evaporation projects
2.13.Introduction to direct lithium extraction (DLE)
2.14.The need for DLE to access a wider range of brine resources
2.15.Active DLE operations - Salar del Hombre Muerto
2.16.Brine evaporation vs brine DLE
2.17.Lithium recovery from hard rock lithium resources (1) - spodumene upgrading
2.18.Lithium recovery from hard rock lithium resources (2) - spodumene refining
2.19.Lithium recovery from hard rock lithium resources (3) - logistics
2.20.Commercial hard rock (spodumene) projects
2.21.Lithium recovery from sediment-hosted deposits
2.22.Proposed lithium project timeline
2.23.Players in sedimentary lithium processing
2.24.Chapter summary
3.TECHNOLOGIES FOR LITHIUM EXTRACTION AND RECOVERY FROM BRINES
3.1.1.An overview of technologies for lithium recovery
3.1.2.The overall process of recovering lithium using DLE technologies
3.1.3.Technology comparisons by maturity and function
3.2.Sorbent-based technologies
3.2.1.Sorption DLE - adsorption vs ion exchange
3.2.2.Many names for aluminum-based sorbents
3.2.3.Sorbent materials
3.2.4.Preparation of ion sieves and ion-sieve effect
3.2.5.Comparing Al/Mn/Ti-based sorbents (1)
3.2.6.Comparing Al/Mn/Ti-based sorbents (2)
3.2.7.Sorbent composites
3.2.8.Sorbent-based process designs
3.3.Adsorption
3.3.1.Adsorption vs absorption
3.3.2.Adsorption processes for lithium extraction
3.3.3.SWOT analysis of adsorption technologies
3.3.4.Technology developers in the space of adsorption DLE
3.4.Ion exchange
3.4.1.Ion exchange processes for lithium extraction
3.4.2.SWOT analysis of ion exchange technologies
3.4.3.Technology developers in the space of ion exchange DLE
3.5.Solvent extraction
3.5.1.Solvent extraction processes for lithium extraction
3.5.2.Extraction systems
3.5.3.Carbonation using CO2
3.5.4.SWOT analysis of solvent extraction technologies
3.5.5.Technology developers in the space of solvent extraction DLE
3.6.Membrane technologies
3.6.1.Membrane processes for lithium recovery
3.6.2.Membrane technology overview
3.6.3.Pressure-driven membrane processes - an introduction
3.6.4.Pressure-driven membrane processes - reverse osmosis (RO)
3.6.5.Membrane fouling poses a challenge to membrane-based processes
3.6.6.Thermally driven membrane process - membrane distillation (MD)
3.6.7.Electrically-driven membrane processes - electrodialysis (ED) (1)
3.6.8.Electrically-driven membrane processes - electrodialysis (ED) (2)
3.6.9.Membrane processes for lithium recovery - examples
3.6.10.Membrane materials
3.6.11.Supported liquid membrane (SLM)
3.6.12.SWOT analysis of membrane technologies
3.6.13.Technology developers in the space of membrane technologies
3.7.Electrochemical technologies
3.7.1.Electrochemical technologies for lithium recovery
3.7.2.Electrolysis for lithium refining
3.7.3.Introduction to capacitive deionization (CDI)
3.7.4.Introduction to battery-based electrochemical technologies
3.7.5.Example processes: Battery-based electrochemical technologies
3.7.6.Comparing electrically-driven techniques
3.7.7.SWOT analysis of electrochemical technologies
3.7.8.Technology developers in the space of electrochemical technologies
3.8.Chemical precipitation
3.8.1.Chemical precipitation for lithium recovery
3.8.2.SWOT analysis of chemical precipitation
3.8.3.Key findings: Chemical precipitation
3.8.4.Key findings: Technologies for lithium recovery from brines
4.MARKET ACTIVITY ON DLE
4.1.1.Lithium extraction by resource type
4.1.2.Emerging DLE projects and players
4.1.3.Business models by DLE player activity
4.1.4.Business models by Li recovery process (via DLE)
4.1.5.Investments and partnerships (1)
4.1.6.Investments and partnerships (2)
4.1.7.Offtake/marketing agreements from DLE projects
4.2.Adsorption DLE
4.2.1.Active DLE operations - Salar del Hombre Muerto
4.2.2.Active and emerging operations supplied by Sunresin
4.2.3.Emerging projects based on adsorption DLE
4.2.4.Adsorption DLE lithium projects overview
4.2.5.Technology developers in the space of adsorption DLE
4.3.Company and project case studies based on adsorption DLE
4.3.1.Company case study (1): Eramet
4.3.2.Company case study (1): Eramet (2)
4.3.3.Company case study (2) - Vulcan Energy Resources (1)
4.3.4.Company case study (2) - Vulcan Energy Resources (2)
4.3.5.Company case study (2) - Vulcan Energy Resources (3)
4.3.6.Company case study (3) - Koch Technology Solutions (KTS)
4.3.7.Company case study (4) - Standard Lithium (1)
4.3.8.Company case study (4) - Standard Lithium (2)
4.3.9.Company case study (5) - International Battery Metals (IBAT) (1)
4.3.10.Company case study (5) - International Battery Metals (IBAT) (2)
4.3.11.Company case study (6) - CleanTech Lithium
4.3.12.Comparisons between adsorption DLE projects
4.3.13.Key findings: Adsorption DLE market
4.4.Ion exchange DLE
4.4.1.Technology developers in the space of ion exchange DLE
4.4.2.Ion exchange DLE lithium project overview
4.5.Company and project case studies based on ion exchange DLE
4.5.1.Case study (1) - Lilac Solutions (1)
4.5.2.Case study (1) - Lilac Solutions (2)
4.5.3.Case study (2) - Go2Lithium (G2L) (1)
4.5.4.Case study (2) - Go2Lithium (G2L) (2)
4.5.5.Case study (3) - Volt Lithium Corp (1)
4.5.6.Case study (3) - Volt Lithium Corp (2)
4.5.7.Comparison between DLE projects
4.5.8.Key findings: Ion exchange DLE market
4.6.Solvent extraction DLE
4.6.1.Technology developers in the space of solvent extraction DLE
4.6.2.Case study (1) - Tenova
4.6.3.Case study (2) - Ekosolve (1)
4.6.4.Case study (2) - Ekosolve (2)
4.6.5.Case study (3) - Adionics
4.6.6.Key findings: Solvent extraction DLE market
4.7.Membrane technologies
4.7.1.Technology developers in the space of membrane technologies
4.7.2.Membrane technology developers by Li recovery process
4.7.3.Case study (1) - Evove
4.7.4.Case study (2) - ElectraLith
4.7.5.Key findings: Membrane technology market
4.8.Electrochemical technologies
4.8.1.Technology developers in the space of electrochemical technologies
4.8.2.Market overview in the electrochemical technology space
5.SUSTAINABILITY AND COST CONSIDERATIONS
5.1.Sustainability comparisons between lithium projects
5.2.Battery-grade lithium chemicals
5.3.Cost comparisons between lithium projects
5.4.Cost comparisons within DLE projects
6.REGULATIONS AND INCENTIVES RELEVANT TO LITHIUM EXTRACTION & MINING
6.1.Regulations and incentives in Bolivia
6.2.Regulations and incentives in Chile
6.3.Regulations and incentives in Argentina
6.4.Regulations and incentives in China (1)
6.5.Regulations and incentives in China (2)
6.6.Regulations and incentives in Europe
6.7.Regulations and incentives in the USA
7.LITHIUM PRODUCTION OUTLOOKS AND FORECASTS
7.1.1.Chapter overview
7.2.Overview of lithium production in 2023
7.2.1.Overview of global lithium production in 2023
7.2.2.Global lithium production in 2023 by country
7.3.Lithium production outlook - key assumptions
7.3.1.Factors affecting lithium production outlook
7.3.2.Assumptions for lithium production forecast
7.3.3.Announced vs assumed DLE outlook
7.4.Lithium production forecast 2025-2035
7.4.1.Forecast methodology
7.4.2.Lithium production forecast from mining and extraction 2023-2035
7.4.3.Li production contribution by resource type
7.4.4.Li production contribution from brine extraction
7.4.5.Global lithium market 2025-2035
7.4.6.DLE forecast segmented by brine type
7.4.7.DLE forecast segmented by country
7.4.8.DLE forecast by extraction technology
7.4.9.Outlook of lithium supply vs demand 2023-2035
 

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Report Statistics

Slides 207
Forecasts to 2035
Published Aug 2024
ISBN 9781835700549
 

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