Which DLE technology is closest to industrial scale?
Adsorbent-based direct lithium extraction is the clear frontrunner for industrial deployment. In 2024, US Magnesium selected adsorbent DLE technology from International Battery Metals for its lithium project in Utah, and CleanTech Lithium successfully started a pilot plant in Chile using the same approach [4]. Standard Lithium, which originally planned to use its own ion-exchange process, switched to an adsorption column from Koch Technology Solutions for its commercial-scale facility in Arkansas [4]. These real-world decisions by major producers signal that adsorbents are considered the most reliable and scalable option right now.
The reason for this lead is practical: adsorbent resins can be deployed in modular columns that are already proven in other industrial processes, reducing technical risk. However, the technology is not without trade-offs. A 2023 review notes that DLE methods, including adsorption, still face challenges with freshwater usage, chemical agents, and land use, and that not every brine chemistry is suitable for every DLE technology [7]. So while adsorbents are scaling fastest, they are not a universal solution.
Can electrochemical DLE methods compete at scale?
Electrochemical methods like electrodialysis and capacitive deionization offer extremely high lithium selectivity — a key advantage — but they are not yet ready for industrial scale. A 2025 review of these technologies reports that electrodialysis can achieve high lithium recovery rates using ion-exchange membranes, but it suffers from high energy consumption, membrane fouling, and reduced efficiency in ion-rich brines [5]. Capacitive deionization uses less energy and adapts well to varying lithium concentrations, but its scalability and long-term durability are still being validated at pilot scale [5].
The most striking selectivity data comes from a 2023 study on anodic electrolysis for recycling spent batteries, which achieved lithium leaching rates of 96.31% while leaving iron and phosphorus behind — a Li/Fe selectivity over 99.9% [1]. That level of purity is remarkable, but the study was done on battery waste, not brine, and at lab scale. A separate 2024 study on chemical leaching from spent batteries also showed high efficiency and economic promise, but again at pilot rather than industrial scale [3]. The consensus across these papers is that electrochemical DLE is technically impressive but still needs to overcome cost and durability barriers before it can match adsorbents in commercial-scale brine operations.
What about newer DLE methods — are they a wild card?
A radically different approach — hygroscopicity-driven DLE — was reported in a 2026 study and could bypass many of the energy and water problems of other methods. The technique uses the natural tendency of lithium chloride to absorb moisture from air at controlled humidity levels (12-30% relative humidity), selectively forming a lithium-enriched liquid while other salts stay solid [2]. In tests, it achieved lithium recovery of up to 96% and concentrations reaching 97,000 ppm — far above industrial-grade requirements — and extraction took only minutes to hours instead of months [2]. The process requires no external water, chemicals, or heating, and works on solid deposits like brine mining slags.
However, this method is still at the lab-bench stage, tested on synthetic mixtures and actual slag samples, not in a continuous industrial process. The 2026 paper itself describes it as a 'spontaneous' and 'modular' concept, but does not report any pilot-scale or continuous operation data [2]. So while it is a promising wild card, it is further from industrial scale than adsorbents or even electrochemical methods. The broader lesson from all the papers is that no single DLE technology will fit every source: brine composition, energy availability, and local costs determine the best choice [8][9]. For example, geothermal brines in mature hydrocarbon basins may pair well with electrodialysis that also produces green hydrogen and freshwater as by-products [7], while salt-lake brines with high magnesium content may favor adsorbents or ion-exchange [6].
About These Sources
This answer is built on 9 peer-reviewed studies — published from 2022 to 2026, 6 from 2024 or later, 6 in Q1 journals, collectively cited 267 times — selected as the most relevant from 9 studies that passed quality screening, drawn from 44 papers retrieved from a database of over 500 million.
Sources used in this answer
Electrochemical selective lithium extraction and regeneration of spent lithium iron phosphate
Anodic electrolysis of spent LiFePO4 achieved 96.31% lithium leaching with >99.9% Li/Fe selectivity, producing FePO4 that could be regenerated into new cathode material with 144.5 mAh/g capacity and 92% retention over 500 cycles.
Hygroscopicity-driven spontaneous sustainable direct lithium extraction.
A novel hygroscopicity-driven DLE method using controlled humidity (12-30% RH) achieved up to 96% lithium recovery and concentrations of 97,000 ppm from solid deposits in minutes to hours, without external water, chemicals, or heating.
Direct lithium extraction from spent batteries for efficient lithium recycling
A room-temperature chemical leaching process using polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and ether solvents extracted active lithium from spent LIBs; the reclaimed lithium was used to make LiFePO4 cathodes with performance comparable to commercial materials, and 56 Ah cells retained ~90% capacity after 1200 cycles.
Lithium producers zero in on technology for direct extraction
Industry reporting shows adsorbent-based DLE is the leading technology for scale-up, with US Magnesium, CleanTech Lithium, and Standard Lithium all adopting adsorbent systems from suppliers like International Battery Metals and Koch Technology Solutions in 2024.
Electrochemical Direct Lithium Extraction: A Review of Electrodialysis and Capacitive Deionization Technologies
A review of electrodialysis and capacitive deionization for DLE finds high lithium selectivity and recovery rates, but notes challenges with energy consumption, membrane fouling, and scalability that require further pilot-scale validation.
Direct lithium extraction projects advance
Industry reporting from 2022 notes that SQM is evaluating multiple DLE technologies (solvent extraction, adsorption, ion exchange, membranes) for what it says will be the world's largest DLE plant in Chile, and that DLE can be twice as efficient as evaporation ponds but has not been proven at large scale.
Direct Lithium Extraction from Geothermal Brines: The New Oil
A review of DLE from geothermal brines highlights electrodialysis as a clean, emission-free option that can also produce green hydrogen and freshwater, but notes challenges with freshwater usage, chemical agents, and brine chemistry compatibility.
Direct lithium extraction: A new paradigm for lithium production and resource utilization
A comprehensive review of DLE technologies (adsorption, ion exchange, membranes, direct carbonation, electrochemical) concludes that DLE can reduce operation time and improve sustainability, but faces challenges in cost, environmental impact, and scalability.
Techno-Economic Review of the Current Lithium Supply Shortage and Direct Lithium Extraction Technologies
A techno-economic review finds that membrane, ion-exchange adsorption, and electrochemical DLE methods are at pilot stage, with viability depending on local factors like brine composition and energy costs; proving these methods at scale would diversify and de-risk the lithium supply chain.