PYRITE GOOD AS GOLD WITH LITHIUM FIND...
FOOL’S gold could be valuable after all as a new source of lithium, crucial to green energy. Pyrite, a mineral known as ‘fool’s gold’ due to its colour, has been found to contain lithium, something the team described as ‘previously unheard of ’. Because of its extreme reactivity, lithium is a great material for batteries, already used in electric cars. Crucially, they are also able to store energy produced by renewable sources such as solar and wind — meaning demand for lithium has skyrocketed as countries attempt to transition to greener energy sources. A research team from West Virginia University in the US wanted to discover new stores of lithium in the hopes of expanding past sources like pegmatites and volcanic clays. In particular, they were interested in whether previous industrial operations — such as mine tailings — could serve as a source of lithium without generating new waste. Scientists studied 15 middleDevonian sedimentary rock samples from the Appalachian basin in the US and found plenty of lithium in pyrite inside shale.
Hint
Lead researcher and PhD student Shailee Bhattacharya, said: “This is unheard of. But it is promising because it hints at the possibility that certain shales could be a lithium source that doesn’t require new mines.” The study, due to be presented at the European Geosciences Union (EGU) 2024 General Assembly, found that lithium was likely to be found in sulphurrich pyrite. More research will be needed to find why this is. Ms Bhattacharya added: “Organic-rich shale may show potential for higher lithium recovery because of the curious interaction between lithium and pyrite. “I am trying to understand this association, but the hope is, with lithium discovered in pyrite, we can talk about sustainable energy without using a lot of energy resources.”