Lithium is likely to remain an important strategic resource for decades, even as the energy industry changes, according to Waco economist Ray Perryman and Odessa oilman Kirk Edwards. They said the U.S. is moving to depend less on China and other foreign countries for the metal.
Perryman said rechargeable batteries are becoming more important for electric vehicles, consumer electronics and utility-scale energy storage. He said storage allows electricity from wind and solar to be used when it is needed. He also said lithium is used in glass and ceramics, industrial lubricants, air-conditioning and air-treatment systems, and some medical products.
Perryman said the U.S. has substantial lithium resources and that domestic development is underway. He listed hard-rock mining, extraction from underground brines, geothermal resources and lithium-bearing clay deposits. He said the larger challenge is refining, chemical processing and battery manufacturing, which he said China largely dominates. He also said federal support has grown through loans, grants, research funding and help for battery manufacturing and recycling.