LibertyStream targets lithium extraction from 20 million barrels of daily Permian Basin produced water to counter China’s dominance.
A Texas-based firm plans to extract lithium from the 20 million barrels of produced water generated daily in the Permian Basin’s oil operations. The mineral-rich wastewater, a byproduct of crude production, could provide a domestic lithium feedstock as U.S. drilling expands.
The approach leverages existing oil infrastructure, potentially reducing reliance on foreign supply chains. China currently dominates global lithium processing, raising concerns over supply security for electric vehicle and battery manufacturers.
No immediate market reaction was reported, but the strategy could reshape lithium sourcing if scaled successfully.