[Goose]

There are other ways to mine lithium that do not require water. The geothermal energy companies already have a process that uses lithium-rich brine, so for them, that is the "only way to go". 1500 ft deep "conventional" open pit mines are not difficult to operate. Mining the salts that are rich in lithium isn't the problem. Refining the lithium from the other components in the salts is. That process requires significant quantities of water, but not on the same order as mining by dissolving the salts in the ground does.

[Goose]

There are other ways to mine lithium that do not require water. The geothermal energy companies already have a process that uses lithium-rich brine, so for them, that is the "only way to go". 1500 ft deep "conventional" open pit mines are not difficult to operate. Mining the salts that are rich in lithium isn't the problem. Refining the lithium from the other components in the salts is. That process requires significant quantities of water, but not on the same order as mining by dissolving the salts in the ground does.