Understanding Lithium Extraction Methods

What is lithium primarily used for in clean energy technologies?

• Solar panels

• Electric vehicles (EVs) and big batteries

• Wind turbines

• Hydroelectric dams

Where was most lithium mining traditionally conducted?

• Australia

• China

• Chile

• United States

What is the primary method of lithium extraction in Chile?

• Blasting spodumene from open pits

• Extracting lithium from brines

• Underground mining

• Recycling old batteries

In what year did Australia overtake Chile as the dominant lithium producer?

• 2015

• 2016

• 2017

• 2018

What percentage of the globe’s lithium supplies does Australia produce today?

• 25%

• 50%

• 75%

• 90%

What is the name of the lithium-rich mineral that is blasted out of open pits in Australia?

• Quartz

• Feldspar

• Spodumene

• Mica

Where is more than 80 percent of Australia’s lithium rock further processed?

• United States

• Chile

• Japan

• China

What is the first step in the process of extracting lithium from brines in Chile?

• Blasting the rock

• Pumping the salty liquid from the earth

• Heating the liquid

• Filtering the liquid