Saudi Arabian mining company Ma'aden has successfully extracted lithium from seawater. The project is currently at the pilot stage as the level of production is not yet commercially viable, the company's CEO Robert Wilt said.
“We are actually producing lithium from seawater now,” he said, without giving other details.
Ma'aden, the kingdom's flagship mining company, is 67% owned by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF).
The United States and China are in a race to access lithium, the mineral key to batteries for electric cars, laptops and smartphones. Saudi Arabia has joined the pack, hoping to use lithium to manufacture batteries for electric vehicles (EV) as part of ambitious plans to turn the kingdom into an EV hub.
The kingdom's booming mining industry is a key element of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 strategic program aimed at diversifying the economy and getting rid of oil dependence.
Saudi Arabia's national oil giant Aramco is also trying to extract lithium from brine in its oilfields, but Wilt said Ma'aden is well ahead of Aramco on that front. “We are both working on parallel paths. Ma'aden on lithium extraction from seawater, Aramco from brines, where lithium has a higher concentration,” he said, noting that consultations are underway to ‘bring the two companies together.
Hélène Tarin, Editor in Chief of the Asian Bureau, Rough&Polished
Exclusive
Responsible business practices ‘no longer optional’, says WDC President Feriel Zerouki
The president of the World Diamond Council takes time out of her busy schedule to tell Rough&Polished readers about the critical work of the WDC. Zerouki, the first female present of the body, which includes all the important industry organizations among...
14 october 2024
James Campbell: Botswana Diamonds optimistic as it enters uncharted territory of using AI for mineral exploration
London-listed Botswana Diamonds has expressed optimism about the company’s use of artificial intelligence (AI) to scan the exploration database in Botswana to look for new mineralised deposits. Company managing director James Campbell told Rough...
07 october 2024
Artur Salyakayev: For me, happiness is freedom to make my ideas happen and create valuable products
Artur Salyakayev is an art entrepreneur, founder of the International Jewelry Academy (IJA) and the INCRUA jewelry company. He has initiated and developed successful projects in jewelry industry and services sector. He is also a leading expert...
30 september 2024
Paul Zimnisky: China key for sustained recovery in demand for natural diamonds, prices
The curtailing of upstream and midstream natural diamond production in the past months is starting to have an effect on prices, according to the New-York-based independent diamond and jewellery analyst and consultant, Paul Zimnisky. He told Rough & Polished’s...
23 september 2024
Vladimir Pilyushin: The jewelry market is not stand-alone and moves by the same laws as other markets
Vladimir Pilyushin is editor-in-chief of Russian Jeweler, a leading magazine about the jewelry industry in Russia. He told Rough&Polished about his view on the evolution of the jewelry industry in Russia and touched upon some of its problems.
16 september 2024
