Brine grades in Andean salars: When basin size matters A review of the Lithium Triangle

Steinmetz, Romina Lucrecia López; Salvi, Stefano

doi:10.1016/j.earscirev.2021.103615

Cited by 29 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 82 publications

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“…The removal yields of Co and Ni presented here are still low as experiments have been developed in a single batch process in 2 ml volumes as a first step to show the fundamentals of the approach and to provide benchmark data for process optimisation. The Li that remains in the dissolved fraction at pH > 8, with similarities in terms of composition and concentration to some lithium salar brines, 47 could then be recovered by chemical precipitation as Li 2 CO 3 .…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Selective bacterial separation of critical metals: towards a sustainable method for recycling lithium ion batteries

et al. 2022

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Selective bacterial separation of critical metals: towards a sustainable method for recycling lithium ion batteries

et al. 2022

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“…Topographic positions and dimensions of the wetlands and shallow lakes control the relationship they have with groundwater flows, evaporation rates, and the amount and types of evaporite salts (Huerta et al, 2021). Regarding the size, studies of several hypersaline shallow lakes have shown that their size is proportional to the size of the endorheic basins associated with them (López Steinmetz & Salvi, 2021). The basin containing the Leubucó wetland and shallow lake is topographically higher and smaller than those containing de la Sal and Chasilauquen wetlands and shallow lakes.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Factors and processes controlling hydrochemistry and evaporitic deposits in hypersaline wetland‐shallow lake systems

Acosta,

Carol,

Borzi

et al. 2023

Hydrological Processes

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Three wetland‐shallow lakes were studied with the aim of analysing the processes and factors that control hydrochemistry and evaporite deposits in them in basins of the Pampean Plain, Argentina. In this sense, water balances and analysis of the water content of the lakes with normalized water difference index were made, and geologic‐geomorphological characteristics and groundwater flows were defined. Groundwater, surface water and evaporite samples were taken, along with sediment samples from wetland‐shallow lakes and surroundings. In situ pH, electrical conductivity and temperature, and laboratory chemical determinations of major ions of the water were measured. x‐ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM)‐energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) analyses of evaporite and sediment samples were carried out. The results obtained allow the identification of two different systems. One of them is represented by Leubucó wetland‐lake basin, which is topographically higher and smaller than the other system, with Na‐HCO3 and Na‐Cl/SO4 groundwater inflows, with high concentrations of Ca2+ and Mg2+. In periods of high evaporation, the regional water table drops, and due to its topographic position, the lake dries. These determine the formation of thick layers of halite associated with magnesium salts on surface, and gypsum layers interbedded with clastic sediments. The other system involves de la Sal and Chasilauquen wetland‐lake basins, which have larger extensions. They receive Na‐HCO3 and Na‐Cl/SO4 groundwater inflow, but with low Mg2+ and Ca2+. Their lower topographic position determines that even during deficit periods, the water table intercepts the lakes surface and therefore, lakes have a shallow surface water level almost all the year, which is hypersaline, Na‐Cl type. These systems only have thin evaporite crusts, composed of halite and thenardite at the edges of the lakes, and the formation of Ca‐Mg sulfates is not observed. It is concluded that topographic position, basins size, geology, groundwater inflow and evaporation are the main processes and factors controlling hydrochemistry and evaporitic deposits.

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“…Research on salt flats dynamics has gained much importance in recent years mainly due to environmental and mining issues. The worldwide increasing demand for lithium has put the focus on salt flats, which are the main source of this element, considered strategic and fundamental in the transition to an economy less dependent on fossil fuels [1][2][3][4][5]. The construction of rechargeable, lightweight, lithium-based batteries with a high storage capacity and its demand in numerous green technologies, such as electric vehicles, turns lithium into a fundamental resource nowadays [2,[6][7][8].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The worldwide increasing demand for lithium has put the focus on salt flats, which are the main source of this element, considered strategic and fundamental in the transition to an economy less dependent on fossil fuels [1][2][3][4][5]. The construction of rechargeable, lightweight, lithium-based batteries with a high storage capacity and its demand in numerous green technologies, such as electric vehicles, turns lithium into a fundamental resource nowadays [2,[6][7][8]. The Andean highlands shared by Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile concentrates about 60% of the lithium reserves of the planet within an area known as the "Lithium Triangle".…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spaceborne Radars for Mapping Surface and Subsurface Salt Pan Configuration: A Case Study of the Pozuelos Salt Flat in Northern Argentina

Lattus,

Barber,

Skoković

et al. 2024

Remote Sensing

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Lithium mining has become a controversial issue in the transition to green technologies due to the intervention in natural basins that impact the native flora and fauna in these environments. Large resources of this element are concentrated in Andean salt flats in South America, where extraction is much easier than in other geological configurations. The Pozuelos highland salt flat, located in northern Argentina (Salta’s Province), was chosen for this study due to the presence of different evaporitic crusts and its proven economic potential in lithium-rich brines. A comprehensive analysis of a 5.5-year-long time series of its microwave backscatter with Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) images yielded significant insights into the dynamics of their crusts. During a field campaign conducted near the acquisition of three SAR images (Sentinel-1, ALOS-2/PALSAR-2, and SAOCOM-1), field measurements were collected for computational modeling of the SAR response. The temporal backscattering coefficients for the crusts in the salt flat are directly linked to rainfall events, where changes in surface roughness, soil moisture, and water table depth represent the most critical variables. Field parameters were employed to model the backscattering response of the salt flat using the Small Slope Approximation (SSA) model. Salt concentration of the subsurface brine and the water table depth over the slightly to moderately roughed crusts were quantitatively derived from Bayesian inference of the ALOS-2/PALSAR-2 and SAOCOM-1 SAR backscattering coefficient data. The results demonstrated the potential for subsurface estimation with L-band dual-polarization images, constrained to crusts compatible with the feasibility range of the layered model.

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Brine grades in Andean salars: When basin size matters A review of the Lithium Triangle

Cited by 29 publications

References 82 publications

Selective bacterial separation of critical metals: towards a sustainable method for recycling lithium ion batteries

Selective bacterial separation of critical metals: towards a sustainable method for recycling lithium ion batteries

Factors and processes controlling hydrochemistry and evaporitic deposits in hypersaline wetland‐shallow lake systems

Spaceborne Radars for Mapping Surface and Subsurface Salt Pan Configuration: A Case Study of the Pozuelos Salt Flat in Northern Argentina

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