Lithium-focused junior MGX Minerals has teamed up with water treatment company Eureka Resources to potentially recover lithium from water produced at nonconventional oil and gas sites across the Marcellus and Utica shale formations in the US.

Deep natural gas reserves located in the Marcellus and Utica shale account for about 40% of all natural gas produced in the US. The oil and gas operations in this region also generate large volumes of produced water.

Eureka uses advanced treatment technology to convert 10 000 bbl/d of this produced water into valuable co-products, including fresh water, high-purity sodium chloride and calcium chloride. Through the planned joint venture, Eureka will begin extracting lithium as well.

MGX has developed a rapid lithium extraction technology that eliminates or greatly reduces the physical footprint and investment needed for large, multi-phase, lake-sized, lined evaporation ponds. Its technology also enhances the quality of lithium extraction and recovery across a complex range of brines as compared with traditional solar evaporation. This technology can be used on oil and gas produced water, natural brine, lithium-rich mine brine and industrial plant wastewater.

“The joint venture will look not only to install an initial rapid recovery system immediately, but views this as the first step in executing the strategic vision of Petrolithium. The extraction of lithium from oil and gas well sources is a broad paradigm shift for the energy sector,” states MGX president and CEO Jared Lazerson.

He notes that there may be a lot of lithium in the eastern US and that its technology could unlock this potential.

“Our joint venture plans to install multiple lithium rapid recovery systems at wastewater treatment facilities across the Marcellus and Utica shale formations."

Eureka provides advanced treatment technology in oil and gas produced water management. Since 2008, Eureka's patented and permitted services have expanded to meet the growing need for produced water solutions and critical mineral production.