A report released by the Department of Energy (DOE) on November 28, 2023, found that given expected technology advances, California’s Salton Sea region could produce more than 3,400 kilotons of lithium, enough to support over 375 million batteries for electric vehicles (EVs).[1] The mineral is critical for reaching the Biden administration’s goal of net-zero emissions by 2050 as it is key in the production of batteries for storage and EVs. Currently, the U.S. relies primarily on imported lithium. However, the DOE’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) found that with technology advancements, the vast supply of lithium in the Salton Sea could be obtained via direct lithium extraction (DLE) from geothermal brines, a byproduct of geothermal electricity generation that often has high concentrations of minerals. The Salton Sea Known Geothermal Resource Area (KGRA) has about 400 MW of installed geothermal capacity, and up to 2,950 MW is possible in the region. According to a report from the California Energy Commission, Salton Sea KGRA is believed to have the highest concentration of lithium contained in geothermal brines in the world.

[1] https://www.energy.gov/eere/articles/us-department-energy-analysis-confirms-californias-salton-sea-region-be-rich-domestic#:~:text=Conducted%20by%20DOE's%20Lawrence%20Berkeley,the%20total%20number%20of%20vehicles