Scientists at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) have developed a groundbreaking technology that could place Saudi Arabia at the forefront of global lithium production.The new method, detailed in the journal Science, enables the direct extraction of lithium from oilfield brine and seawater – a game-changer for an industry reliant on costly and resource-intensive mining.Lithium is essential for the batteries used in electric vehicles, laptops, and smartphones, but extracting it from low-concentration sources like brine has been economically unfeasible until now. The KAUST method was tested on a pilot scale 100,000 times larger than typical lab experiments and proved cost-competitive with traditional mining techniques.For more Saudi news, visit our dedicated page.This innovation allows for the extrication of lithium from brine containing as little as 20 parts per million without introducing pollutants or additives.Professor Zhiping Lai, co-chair of KAUST’s Center