Highlights
- Princeton startup develops groundbreaking solar-powered technology to dramatically increase lithium production efficiency.
- PCM’s solar-absorbing ‘lily pads’ can increase brine evaporation by up to 122% with 96% thermal conversion efficiency.
- Innovative method offers potential to double mineral recovery while reducing ecological footprint of lithium mining.
In a major development for global lithium supply, Princeton Critical Minerals (opens in a new tab) (PCM)—a spinoff from Princeton University’s Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment (opens in a new tab)—has unveiled a field-tested innovation that dramatically increases lithium yield from evaporation ponds.
Co-founded by Professor Z. Jason Ren (opens in a new tab) and former postdoctoral fellow Sean Zheng, PCM’s technology uses solar-absorbing, anti-fouling floating discs (“lily pads”) to accelerate brine evaporation by up to 122%, based on pilot results in northern Chile with mining giant SQM. The method could double mineral recovery efficiency while shrinking the environmental footprint of lithium extraction, one of the most land- and water-intensive processes in critical mineral mining, reports (opens in a new tab) the university.
Unlike traditional pond systems that dissipate over half of solar energy, PCM’s system boasts 96% thermal conversion efficiency, effectively acting like “a second sun” to supercharge mineral production. With global lithium demand soaring, the technology’s ability to boost output from existing infrastructure, without expanding the geographic or ecological footprint, offers a disruptive leap forward.
Now, in early commercialization, PCM’s technology is being scaled through its partnership with SQM, with broader implications for nitrate, potash, and rare earth recovery. As Western nations scramble to diversify critical mineral supply chains, Princeton’s lab-to-market success story could mark a turning point in sustainable resource extraction.
The Team
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