---
title: Direct Lithium Extraction from Geothermal Brines
type: technology
url: "https://www.envisioning.com/research/grid/usa__direct-lithium-extraction"
hub: grid
summary: "The DOE committed a $1.4 billion loan to EnergySource Minerals for a direct lithium extraction plant at the Salton Sea, part of a broader push to produce 'green lithium' from geothermal brines without the massive evaporation ponds used in South America."
---

# Direct Lithium Extraction from Geothermal Brines

The DOE committed a $1.4 billion loan to EnergySource Minerals for a direct lithium extraction plant at the Salton Sea, part of a broader push to produce 'green lithium' from geothermal brines without the massive evaporation ponds used in South America.
- Technology Readiness Level: 5/9
- Impact: 4/5
- Investment: 4/5
Direct lithium extraction (DLE) uses selective sorbents, ion exchange, or membrane technologies to pull lithium directly from geothermal brines in hours rather than the 12-18 months required by traditional evaporation pond methods. The DOE committed a $1.4 billion loan to EnergySource Minerals for a DLE plant near California's Salton Sea, where geothermal power plants already produce lithium-rich brine as a byproduct. Standard Lithium secured a $225 million DOE grant for its Arkansas DLE project, and Controlled Thermal Resources plans a 2026 IPO for its combined geothermal-lithium operation.

The Salton Sea region alone is estimated to contain enough lithium to supply 375 million EV batteries — potentially making California a global lithium supplier. DLE produces lithium with a dramatically smaller environmental footprint than either South American evaporation ponds (which consume vast quantities of water in arid regions) or Australian hard-rock mining. The technology also recovers other critical minerals like zinc and manganese from the same brine streams, creating multiple revenue sources.

DLE represents a strategic opportunity to co-produce clean energy and critical minerals from the same wells. Geothermal plants generate baseload power while their spent brine yields battery-grade lithium. This synergy could reduce US dependence on lithium imports (currently 50%+ from Chile and Australia) while supporting both the grid and the EV supply chain. The technology is still proving commercial viability at scale, with 2026-2027 as the critical period for first large-scale DLE production.

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Source: Envisioning — Technology Research Institute (https://www.envisioning.com/research/grid/usa__direct-lithium-extraction)