Previously Considered Worthless, "Fool's Gold" May Now Bring Wealth Through Lithium
According to American researchers, pyrite, commonly known as "fool's gold," contains a surprising amount of lithium, which could help alleviate the growing lithium demand.
The mineral's golden hue has often misled many due to its resemblance to real gold. However, despite its appearance, pyrite has been deemed practically worthless. This perception, however, might change as it could hold more value in the modern world than previously realized.
IFLScience reports that pyrite from the United States has shown to contain significant amounts of lithium. This chemical element is currently in high demand worldwide due to its crucial role in powering electric vehicles, airplanes, and electronic devices in general.
Shailee Bhattacharya, a PhD student at West Virginia University in the United States, mentioned that the connection between pyrite and lithium has not been thoroughly explored until now. Bhattacharya and her team analyzed 15 sedimentary rock samples from the Middle Devonian period, originating from a basin in the Appalachian Mountains. Their findings revealed a surprisingly high lithium content in the clay shale's pyrite minerals.
The initial aim of the research was to determine whether old industrial sites could be considered as potential lithium sources. This includes mines that are no longer operational, which have left behind only tailings (the residue left after the extraction of minerals) from the originally mined minerals. The study found that the pyrite minerals in clay shale have a notably high level of lithium. It remains unclear how location-specific these findings are, i.e., whether pyrite found elsewhere also contains significant amounts of lithium.
Hannah Ritchie, a researcher at the University of Oxford, noted that approximately 100,000 tons of lithium are currently produced annually. However, by 2030, humanity may require between 240,000 and 450,000 tons each year.
Furthermore, processing pyrite to extract lithium could be a greener solution than current methods. This discovery opens up new possibilities for meeting the increasing demand for lithium, essential for the transition to more sustainable energy use and electronic devices.