Lithium Research

A new study featured in Science Advances and conducted by researchers at Duke University has revealed unique geochemical traits in lithium-rich brines located in salt flats across South America and Asia.

Overview of Lithium

Lithium is a soft, silvery-white alkali metal known for being the lightest metal and having the lowest density. It reacts strongly with water and can form alloys with aluminum and magnesium, which improves material strength while reducing weight—qualities particularly useful in aerospace and battery applications.
Often referred to as “white gold,” lithium is a vital mineral for the clean energy transition, playing a central role in manufacturing batteries for electric vehicles (EVs) and energy storage systems.
Approximately 40% of the world’s lithium comes from brine extraction in salt flats, especially in the high-altitude regions of the Andes—specifically Chile, Argentina, and Bolivia, an area often called the “Lithium Triangle”—as well as the Tibetan Plateau.

Significant Findings from the Study

The research focused on Bolivia’s Salar de Uyuni, the planet’s largest reserve of lithium brine, situated in an arid, high-altitude area.
Unlike the ocean, where pH levels are mainly regulated by carbonate ions, the study discovered that in these lithium-rich brines, pH is largely influenced by boron compounds.
Boron, present as boric acid and borates, was found to play a crucial role in determining the pH and alkalinity of these natural brines.
As the brine evaporates in mining ponds:

• Boron concentration rises.
• Boric acid dissociates, releasing hydrogen ions.
• This process significantly lowers the pH, resulting in highly acidic brine conditions.