Direct Lithium Extraction 2026-2036: Technologies, Players, Forecasts
10-year forecasts for direct lithium extraction, hard rock mining, brine evaporation, & sedimentary. Key players, projects & technologies - adsorption, ion exchange, solvent extraction, membranes, electrochemical. Covers US, Europe, China, South America.
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IDTechEx's report "Direct Lithium Extraction 2026-2036: Technologies, Players, Forecasts" provides a deep-dive into global lithium production and the fast-growing direct lithium extraction (DLE) landscape. This includes critical insights into technologies, key project data, and granular 10-year forecasts which detail how the emergence of DLE will grow the lithium market into one valued at US$52 billion dollars by 2036.
Sources of lithium production across the Americas, Europe, and China, Source: IDTechEx
What is driving the growth of DLE?
The rapid expansion of the li-ion battery market for electric vehicles and battery energy storage systems (BESS) has led to surging lithium demand. Conventional lithium extraction involves either the mining of hard rock minerals or evaporation of lithium-rich brines. However, such resources are concentrated in just a few regions (hard rock minerals in China and Australia; brines in China and the Lithium Triangle of Argentina, Bolivia, & Chile), and both methods have shortcomings that make them difficult to scale.
For one, brine evaporation processes can require 12-24 months to arrive at a final product, and they achieve low lithium recovery rates of 40-60%. They also require specific brine compositions and the right land and climate for evaporation ponds. Meanwhile, hard rock lithium is less prevalent in nature and mining comes with much greater environmental impacts.
The emergence of DLE technology, which allows for more selective lithium extraction from brines without evaporation, opens new opportunities for global production. DLE technologies can extract lithium from brines in just hours or days due to their selectivity, creating far more market flexibility to closely match lithium supply with demand. DLE also represents a more sustainable production pathway, bypassing the land and water requirements of conventional methods while achieving over 80% lithium recovery. As sustainability becomes more crucial across the battery supply chain, this will further drive investment into DLE.
The selectivity of DLE technology enables utilization of wide-ranging brines with lower lithium concentrations or more contaminants, including geothermal and oilfield brines. With more brines now suitable for extraction, and without any specific climate requirements, DLE will allow more regions to produce lithium domestically. This will help localize and secure battery supply chains, especially in areas that do not have meaningful lithium production. DLE has already gained significant investment in Europe and North America to make use of their geothermal and oilfield brines respectively. IDTechEx's "Direct Lithium Extraction 2026-2036: Technologies, Players, Forecasts" report expects the USA to become a leading DLE market by 2036.
What are the key DLE technologies?
DLE features a diverse technological landscape, with six major technology types at various stages of development. Each has its own strengths and weaknesses that make them suited to certain brine types or process conditions. Given that no two brines are identical, multiple technologies will establish a place within the market.
Direct lithium extraction technology types, Source: IDTechEx
Adsorption DLE is currently the most mature and well-understood of them all. These processes use aluminium-based sorbents to capture lithium from brines, which is then released into an eluate by desorption using water. Adsorption makes up the bulk of current DLE production, with commercial projects already running in Argentina and China, operated by players such as Rio Tinto and Eramet.
However, the remaining technologies are quickly progressing to commercialization, with most already at demonstration scale and with commercialization plans in the coming years. Their adoption will be driven by their continuing maturation as well as their greater sustainability and lithium selectivity compared to adsorption. For example, ion exchange DLE uses a similar sorption mechanism to adsorption but where acids are used for desorption. This allows for exploitation of very poor brines with under 100 mg/L lithium, which is the case for many geothermal or oilfield brines. Solvent extraction DLE can also make use of low-quality brines while requiring less water and energy input than other processes.
There remain challenges to the full-scale commercialization of these DLE technologies. They must be mature and low risk in order to gain buy-in from resource companies at large. These technologies can also suffer from high CAPEX, while their performance relies on the development of bespoke materials such as sorbents, solvents, and membranes. However, technological progress is accelerating and many new DLE projects have been announced for the coming decade, highlighting the shift that is coming to the lithium market.
"Direct Lithium Extraction 2026-2036: Technologies, Players, Forecasts" brings together all of the above trends and more. IDTechEx's report considers key performance, technoeconomic, regulatory, and other market factors in its analysis. Key players and their projects are benchmarked across each technology type.
10-year granular forecasts of the global lithium market are provided for production quantities (kt LCE) and market value (US$ billion) by source. Sources include brine DLE, brine evaporation, hard rock mining, and sedimentary. 10-year forecasts are also provided of the DLE market in terms of production quantities (kt LCE) and market value (US$ billion) by technology, brine type, and location. Technologies include adsorption, ion exchange, solvent extraction, membranes, and electrochemical. Brine types include continental, geothermal, and oilfield. Locations include Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, USA, Canada, UK, France, Germany, and China.
Access to 17 company profiles, including material suppliers, process developers, and mining companies, provide greater insight into the market.
Key Aspects
This report provides the following critical information:
- Updated analysis of global lithium demand, including lithium carbonate spot prices, application areas, material demands, and IDTechEx's outlook on the growth of the Li-ion battery market.
- In-depth analysis into the global lithium supply, including hard rock, brine, and sedimentary lithium production and processing, and major drivers for the adoption of direct lithium extraction (DLE).
- Regional breakdowns of the lithium market, including lithium reserves and production data, and critical regulations around the world.
- Comprehensive DLE technology analysis and benchmarking based on parameters including technological maturity, sustainability through water and energy consumption, land requirements, CAPEX and OPEX, reagent usage, material requirements, lithium recovery rates, and lithium selectivity. Technologies are appraised for their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and potential threats.
- Key player updates for technology and project developers across adsorption, ion exchange, solvent extraction, membrane, and electrochemical DLE technologies. This includes information on each player's state of commercialization and on partnerships and business models, core technology innovations, production timelines, and individual site characteristics.
- Comprehensive updates of DLE's financial landscape, including new funding, acquisitions, joint ventures, and lithium offtake agreements.
- 10-year granular forecasts of DLE production quantities (kt LCE) and market size (US$ billion) out to 2036, segmented by technology (adsorption, ion exchange, solvent extraction, membranes, electrochemical), by brine type continental, geothermal, oilfield, by region (South America, North America, Europe, China) and more specifically be country (Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, USA, Canada, UK, Germany, France, China).
- 17 company profiles of major DLE players, including material suppliers, process developers, and DLE-focused mining companies.
| Report Metrics | Details |
|---|---|
| Historic Data | 2022 - Q3 2025 |
| CAGR | The direct lithium extraction market will grow at a 21.4% CAGR between 2025 and 2036. |
| Forecast Period | Q4 2025 - 2036 |
| Forecast Units | Production quantity (kt LCE), Market value (US$ billion) |
| Regions Covered | North America (USA + Canada), United States, Canada, Europe, United Kingdom, France, Germany, China, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile |
| Segments Covered | Adsorption, ion exchange, solvent extraction, membranes, electrochemical, chemical precipitation; continental brine, geothermal brine, oilfield brine; hard rock mining, brine evaporation, and sedimentary lithium |
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| 1. | EXECUTIVE SUMMARY |
| 1.1. | Key report findings |
| 1.2. | Lithium applications and growing demand |
| 1.3. | Lithium sources: Brine, hard rock, & sediment |
| 1.4. | Regional concentration of lithium resources and production |
| 1.5. | Lithium extraction regulations vary globally |
| 1.6. | Key drivers for DLE |
| 1.7. | Key challenges for DLE |
| 1.8. | Comparing DLE & brine evaporation |
| 1.9. | Lithium brine types & impacts on DLE |
| 1.10. | DLE technologies |
| 1.11. | Benchmarking of DLE technologies |
| 1.12. | DLE technology key developers |
| 1.13. | Key DLE developers by lithium source |
| 1.14. | Technology overview & market: Adsorption |
| 1.15. | Technology overview & market: Ion exchange |
| 1.16. | Technology overview & market: Solvent extraction |
| 1.17. | Technology overview & market: Membranes |
| 1.18. | Technology overview & market: Electrochemical |
| 1.19. | Technology overview & market: Chemical precipitation |
| 1.20. | Global lithium production (kt LCE) 2025-2036 by source |
| 1.21. | Global lithium market size (US$ billion) 2025-2036 by source |
| 1.22. | Comparing lithium production vs demand (kt LCE) 2025-2036 |
| 1.23. | DLE lithium production (kt LCE) 2025-2036 by technology |
| 1.24. | DLE lithium production (kt LCE) 2025-2036 by brine type |
| 1.25. | DLE lithium production (kt LCE) 2025-2036 by region |
| 1.26. | DLE lithium production (kt LCE) 2025-2036 by country |
| 1.27. | Access More With an IDTechEx Subscription |
| 2. | LITHIUM PRODUCTION & INTRODUCTION TO DIRECT LITHIUM EXTRACTION |
| 2.1. | Lithium overview |
| 2.1.1. | Lithium and its uses |
| 2.1.2. | Growing lithium demand from batteries |
| 2.1.3. | Lithium carbonate vs lithium hydroxide |
| 2.1.4. | Investment in critical battery material mining operations is reducing |
| 2.1.5. | Lithium price volatility in the 2020s |
| 2.1.6. | Effects of volatility in the lithium market |
| 2.1.7. | Battery grade lithium chemicals |
| 2.2. | Conventional lithium extraction methods |
| 2.2.1. | Geological sources of lithium |
| 2.2.2. | Extraction processes for different lithium deposits |
| 2.2.3. | Types of lithium brine deposits |
| 2.2.4. | Continental brine lithium recovery via evaporation ponds |
| 2.2.5. | Commercial brine evaporation projects |
| 2.2.6. | Hard rock & sediment-hosted lithium recovery |
| 2.2.7. | Spodumene upgrading |
| 2.2.8. | Spodumene refining |
| 2.2.9. | Spodumene transportation & dependence on global supply networks |
| 2.2.10. | Commercial spodumene projects (2025) |
| 2.2.11. | Sediment-hosted lithium recovery |
| 2.2.12. | Developing sedimentary lithium projects |
| 2.2.13. | Typical lithium project timeline |
| 2.2.14. | Lithium resources by country |
| 2.2.15. | Lithium production by country |
| 2.2.16. | Regional lithium production by source |
| 2.2.17. | Global lithium production breakdown: 2025 estimates |
| 2.3. | Direct lithium extraction overview |
| 2.3.1. | Motivations behind direct lithium extraction |
| 2.3.2. | History & development of DLE |
| 2.3.3. | Brine evaporation vs DLE |
| 2.3.4. | DLE vs. conventional methods: Sustainability |
| 2.3.5. | DLE vs conventional methods: Cost |
| 2.3.6. | Impact of lithium brine types on DLE |
| 2.4. | Global lithium extraction regulations |
| 2.4.1. | Summary of global lithium extraction regulations |
| 2.4.2. | Argentina |
| 2.4.3. | Australia |
| 2.4.4. | Bolivia |
| 2.4.5. | Brazil |
| 2.4.6. | Canada |
| 2.4.7. | Chile |
| 2.4.8. | China |
| 2.4.9. | European Union |
| 2.4.10. | Mexico |
| 2.4.11. | USA |
| 2.4.12. | Zimbabwe |
| 3. | TECHNOLOGIES FOR DIRECT LITHIUM EXTRACTION |
| 3.1. | Technology overview |
| 3.1.1. | DLE technology types |
| 3.1.2. | General process flow diagram for a DLE process |
| 3.1.3. | DLE technology benchmarking |
| 3.2. | Adsorption |
| 3.2.1. | Sorption & sorbents: Comparing adsorption vs. ion exchange |
| 3.2.2. | Sorbents for DLE |
| 3.2.3. | Overview of adsorption DLE |
| 3.2.4. | Adsorption-desorption process |
| 3.2.5. | Design of sorption-based processes |
| 3.2.6. | Assessment of Al-based sorbents for adsorption |
| 3.2.7. | Adsorption SWOT |
| 3.3. | Ion exchange |
| 3.3.1. | Ion sieves |
| 3.3.2. | Ion exchange process |
| 3.3.3. | Assessment of Mn- and Ti-based sorbents for ion exchange |
| 3.3.4. | Ion exchange SWOT |
| 3.4. | Solvent extraction |
| 3.4.1. | Solvent extraction process |
| 3.4.2. | Potential extraction systems |
| 3.4.3. | Extraction via carbonation |
| 3.4.4. | Solvent extraction SWOT |
| 3.5. | Membrane technologies |
| 3.5.1. | Membrane processes for lithium recovery |
| 3.5.2. | Application of membranes in DLE |
| 3.5.3. | Pressure-driven membrane processes |
| 3.5.4. | Thermally-driven membrane processes |
| 3.5.5. | Electrically-driven membrane processes |
| 3.5.6. | Roles of membranes processes in lithium recovery |
| 3.5.7. | Membrane materials for lithium extraction |
| 3.5.8. | Membrane fouling |
| 3.5.9. | Supported liquid membranes |
| 3.5.10. | Membranes SWOT |
| 3.6. | Electrochemical technologies |
| 3.6.1. | Electrochemical technologies for lithium recovery |
| 3.6.2. | Electrolysis for lithium refining |
| 3.6.3. | Capacitive deionization |
| 3.6.4. | Battery-based technologies |
| 3.6.5. | Membrane-enhanced battery-based technologies |
| 3.6.6. | Comparison of electrically-driven processes |
| 3.6.7. | Electrochemical SWOT |
| 3.7. | Chemical precipitation |
| 3.7.1. | Chemical precipitation for lithium recovery |
| 3.7.2. | Development of chemical precipitation technology |
| 3.7.3. | Chemical precipitation SWOT |
| 4. | MARKET DEVELOPMENTS AND KEY PLAYERS |
| 4.1. | Market overview |
| 4.1.1. | DLE technology developer landscape |
| 4.1.2. | DLE business models & players |
| 4.1.3. | Major investments & partnerships: 2021-2024 (1) |
| 4.1.4. | Major investments & partnerships: 2021-2024 (2) |
| 4.1.5. | Recent major investments & partnerships: 2024-2025 |
| 4.1.6. | DLE offtake agreements |
| 4.1.7. | Lithium sources explored for DLE |
| 4.2. | Adsorption |
| 4.2.1. | Key takeaways: Adsorption DLE market |
| 4.2.2. | Adsorption technology developers |
| 4.2.3. | Comparing adsorption DLE projects |
| 4.2.4. | Rio Tinto: Fenix (Hombre Muerto) project (1) |
| 4.2.5. | Fenix (Hombre Muerto) project (2) |
| 4.2.6. | SunResin |
| 4.2.7. | Export controls on Chinese adsorbents |
| 4.2.8. | Eramet |
| 4.2.9. | Eramet: Centenario project |
| 4.2.10. | Vulcan Energy Resources (1) |
| 4.2.11. | Vulcan Energy Resources (2) |
| 4.2.12. | Aquatech |
| 4.2.13. | Standard Lithium & Aquatech |
| 4.2.14. | International Battery Metals (1) |
| 4.2.15. | International Battery Metals (2) |
| 4.2.16. | CleanTech Lithium |
| 4.2.17. | EnergyX |
| 4.2.18. | LightOre |
| 4.2.19. | Summit Nanotech |
| 4.3. | Ion exchange |
| 4.3.1. | Key takeaways: Ion exchange DLE market |
| 4.3.2. | Ion exchange technology developers |
| 4.3.3. | Comparing ion exchange vs adsorption vs evaporation |
| 4.3.4. | Lilac Solutions: Core technology |
| 4.3.5. | Lilac Solutions: Kachi project (Argentina) |
| 4.3.6. | Lilac Solutions: Gen 5 technology innovations in 2025 |
| 4.3.7. | Lilac Solutions: Great Salt Lake project (USA) |
| 4.3.8. | Go2Lithium |
| 4.3.9. | Go2Lithium: Ion exchange technology and process flow |
| 4.3.10. | Go2Lithium: Example process flow diagram |
| 4.3.11. | LibertyStream (1) |
| 4.3.12. | LibertyStream (2) |
| 4.3.13. | GeoLith |
| 4.4. | Solvent extraction |
| 4.4.1. | Key takeaways: Solvent extraction DLE market |
| 4.4.2. | Solvent extraction technology developers |
| 4.4.3. | Comparing solvent extraction vs other DLE projects |
| 4.4.4. | Adionics (1) |
| 4.4.5. | Adionics (2) |
| 4.4.6. | Ekosolve |
| 4.4.7. | Ekosolve: Project developments |
| 4.4.8. | Tenova & Syensqo (1) |
| 4.4.9. | Tenova & Syensqo (2) |
| 4.4.10. | Tenova: market developments |
| 4.4.11. | Emerging players: LiCAN Resources & Novalith |
| 4.5. | Membrane technologies |
| 4.5.1. | Key takeaways: Membrane DLE market |
| 4.5.2. | Membrane technology developers |
| 4.5.3. | Membrane developers by recovery step |
| 4.5.4. | HZ Lanran (1) |
| 4.5.5. | HZ Lanran (2) |
| 4.5.6. | Evove: Technology |
| 4.5.7. | Evove: Project developments |
| 4.5.8. | SLB |
| 4.5.9. | Lithium Infinity |
| 4.5.10. | ElectraLith |
| 4.5.11. | KMX Technologies |
| 4.6. | Electrochemical technologies |
| 4.6.1. | Key takeaways: Electrochemical DLE market |
| 4.6.2. | Electrochemical technology developers |
| 4.6.3. | Lithium Infinity: Electrochemical process |
| 4.6.4. | Lithium Infinity: Market activity |
| 4.6.5. | Vito |
| 4.7. | Chemical precipitation technologies |
| 4.7.1. | Commentary on chemical precipitation DLE |
| 5. | FORECASTS |
| 5.1. | Forecasts summary |
| 5.1.1. | Summary: Direct lithium extraction 2025-2036 forecasts |
| 5.2. | Forecast methodology & assumptions |
| 5.2.1. | Forecast methodology |
| 5.2.2. | Forecast methodology: Factors impacting lithium production outlook |
| 5.2.3. | Forecast assumptions |
| 5.3. | Lithium and DLE production forecasts |
| 5.3.1. | Global lithium production by source (kt LCE) 2025-2036 |
| 5.3.2. | Lithium production vs demand (kt LCE) 2025-2036 |
| 5.3.3. | DLE lithium production by technology (kt LCE) 2025-2036 |
| 5.3.4. | DLE lithium production by brine type (kt LCE) 2025-2036 |
| 5.3.5. | DLE lithium production by region (kt LCE) 2025-2036 |
| 5.3.6. | DLE lithium production by country (kt LCE) 2025-2036 |
| 5.4. | Market size forecasts |
| 5.4.1. | Global lithium market size by source (US$ billion) 2025-2036 |
| 5.4.2. | DLE lithium market size by technology (US$ billion) 2025-2036 |
| 5.4.3. | DLE lithium market size by brine type (US$ billion) 2025-2036 |
| 5.4.4. | DLE lithium market size by region (US$ billion) 2025-2036 |
| 5.4.5. | DLE lithium market size by country (US$ billion) 2025-2036 |
| 6. | COMPANY PROFILES |
| 6.1. | Company profiles |
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The global lithium market will reach US$52 billion by 2036.
Report Statistics
| Slides | 228 |
|---|---|
| Forecasts to | 2036 |
| Published | Dec 2025 |
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