Lithium in North American Produced Waters: Geological Controls, Direct Extraction Mechanisms, and the Gap Between Synthetic and Real-Brine Evidence

Global lithium demand has increased rapidly, driven largely by expanding battery production, with consumption estimated at 263, 263,000 t in 2025. Supply remains concentrated among a limited number of hard- rock and salar producers. Oilfield- produced water in North America has emerged as a potential additional lithium source, particularly because oil and gas production already generates large volumes of this waste stream.