Seawater desalination plants produce significant quantities of brine as a by-product, a highly concentrated seawater salt solution that is often regarded as waste. However, this brine contains a wealth of valuable raw materials such as lithium, magnesium and other important minerals that have so far remained unused and are needed in industry. The EU-funded Sea4Value project has driven innovation in the recovery of metals and minerals from brines from seawater desalination plants. Since June 2020, the 16 project partners from eight European countries have developed significant methods for the recovery of valuable raw materials from brine and, in cooperation with international experts, have drawn up a CEN workshop agreement on the recovery of raw materials from seawater desalination brine.
In a multi-stage process, valuable raw materials are extracted from brines and made available for various future-oriented applications. These materials can be used for important industries such as battery production, agriculture and the chemical sector. By using these raw materials, the extraction of raw materials from brines not only addresses the problem of resource scarcity, but also contributes to a more sustainable circular economy.
