– Scientists from the University of Oxford are researching a new way to extract metals like copper and lithium from geofluids (heated water underground) on the island of Montserrat in the Caribbean.
– These metals are crucial for electric vehicle batteries and clean energy technology but conventional mining has a large carbon footprint. Extracting them from geofluids could reduce this impact.
– The geofluids on Montserrat are heated by the dormant Soufrière Hills volcano. The researchers want to study if the volcanic heat can be used to generate electricity on the island.
– If metals can also be extracted from the geofluids, this could provide a clean source of materials for batteries without carbon-intensive mining.
– The research is still in early stages and any applications are long-term, but it aims to develop a new model for sustainably obtaining resources for clean energy technologies. Extracting metals from geofluids in other locations could be possible if it succeeds on Montserrat.
Source: TCD
