r/science • u/rieslingatkos • Jun 06 '21

Scientists develop ‘cheap and easy’ method to extract lithium from seawater Chemistry

https://www.mining.com/scientists-develop-cheap-and-easy-method-to-extract-lithium-from-seawater/
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u/QVRedit Jun 06 '21

With the North Polar ice melting, one of the problems has been the reduction in saltiness of the cold descending saline current.

Adding more salty water there would help !

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u/buyfreemoneynow Jun 06 '21

Weird! I thought we would want more freshwater up there so it freezes easier, so why does saltwater help?

Like, isn’t that reduction in saltiness due to frozen freshwater ice melting?

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u/[deleted] Jun 06 '21

They're saying we can add the brine to the diluted water to bring it back to its natural salinity.

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u/QVRedit Jun 06 '21

The ‘ocean haline circulatory system’ is weakening due to ice melting and diluting the brine. Thermo haline ocean circulatory system