Salton Sea Geothermal Brines Hold Over 18 Million Metric Tons of Lithium, UC Riverside Professor Confirms

IMPERIAL VALLEY, California – The Salton Sea region in California is poised to become a critical domestic source of lithium, with an estimated deposit of more than 18 million metric tons of the vital battery metal. Michael McKibben, a Research Professor at the University of California, Riverside (UCR), has highlighted the immense potential of extracting lithium from geothermal brines in the area. This development could significantly bolster the U.S. supply chain for electric vehicle batteries and other renewable energy technologies.

McKibben, a geochemist who has studied the Salton Sea geothermal field since the 1970s, detailed the promise of this resource. According to a social media post by the California Insider Show, McKibben "explains the promise of extracting lithium from geothermal brines at the Salton Sea, a deposit estimated at more than 18 million metric tons." This vast reserve, often referred to as "Lithium Valley," is considered one of the largest dissolved lithium deposits globally.

The extraction process involves direct lithium extraction (DLE) from the hot, mineral-rich brines that are already being brought to the surface for geothermal energy production. This method offers significant environmental advantages over traditional open-pit mining and evaporative pond techniques, which are often associated with substantial water use, land disruption, and pollution. McKibben noted that this approach avoids "new drilling or blasting or grinding" and the "ugly things that go on in South America and Australia to produce lithium now."

Several companies, including Controlled Thermal Resources (CTR), EnergySource Minerals, and Berkshire Hathaway Renewables, are actively developing projects in the region to harness this resource. These efforts aim to establish a robust domestic supply of lithium, crucial for meeting the surging demand driven by the global transition to electric vehicles and renewable energy storage. The U.S. Department of Energy has also supported research into the sustainability and extent of these extractable lithium resources.

While concerns about water usage in the arid Imperial Valley have been raised, experts like McKibben assert that the overall impact would be manageable. He stated that "even if all currently proposed geothermal production and lithium extraction were to be put in place, that would only account for about 4 percent of the historical water supply in the region." This makes the geothermal DLE process a more water-efficient alternative compared to conventional lithium extraction methods.

The development of Lithium Valley is also expected to bring substantial economic benefits to Imperial County, one of California's most economically challenged regions. Projections indicate the creation of thousands of jobs and significant tax revenues over the coming decades, fostering a new "green industrial" hub. Despite recent fluctuations in lithium prices, the long-term outlook remains strong, with forecasts predicting a global shortage by 2030, underscoring the strategic importance of the Salton Sea's lithium reserves.