Challenges and Solutions

As industries such as the automotive sector look to decarbonize, and the volume of EVs continues to rise globally, there is a general anxiety regarding access to large volumes of minerals and materials that are required for battery construction. With each EV requiring an average of 8 kg of lithium, traditional methods of extraction using hard rock mining techniques and evaporation ponds are not meeting the scale of demand required. The supply chain is also becoming increasingly segmented, with the lithium extraction happening in regions such as Australia and South America, and the refining occurring mostly in China.

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The solution developed by ElectraLith takes aim at these particular issues and hopes to expand the general access to lithium and open new EV markets with a more accessible and cheaper supply of the critical mineral. The core of the technology is a ceramic membrane that selectively targets dissolved lithium ions in dilute brine solutions, and using an electric potential to draw the desired ions while rejecting other dissolved salts within the mixture. The lithium ions then flow to a second stage of the reactor, refining the stream to a stable lithium product with the purity and characteristics required for immediate use from a battery manufacturer. This methodology of direct lithium extraction, DLE, enables mining companies to reach more dilute brine solutions and significantly reduce the time and energy required compared to traditional methods.​

As a hydrocarbon refiner, the growth of the EV market runs as a direct counter to Marathon’s core business of gasoline supply, and as EV adoption in the US continues to scale, the extraction and refining of lithium acts as a potential alternative market. This investment in ElectraLith allows Marathon to gain direct access to the emerging lithium market within the United States and appreciate the scale of new operations as the industry continues to grow. With positive internal signals, the position within this company allows for relationship building and education through the entire battery chain, opening up new potential lines of business for Marathon to become further engaged with as gasoline demand wanes over the coming decades.

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Through this partnership, Marathon and ElectraLith have created a pathway for future deployments and collaboration for any instance the technology is deployed within the United States. This effort provides a clear line of market intelligence for Marathon’s core business and allows for the ease of creation of new business units within the company should they decide to expand within the battery value chain.