Re:Nuclear is back on the table for a green future
by thehappypm on Thursday June 16, 2022 @07:29PM
(#31772258)
You’d think so but in reality extraction costs just drop as technology improves. For example, lithium..
Re:Nuclear is back on the table for a green future
by Manuel_D on Thursday June 16, 2022 @09:07PM
(#31772925)
Lithium prices have more than doubled over the last decade: https://www.metalary.com/lithium-price/
They've increased more than sixfold since 2000.
Re:Nuclear is back on the table for a green future
by schiffern on Sunday June 19, 2022 @01:27PM
(#31801399)
"Past performance does not indicate future returns."
All you're doing is repeating the fact that we've been under-investing in lithium (and other energy minerals[0]) for the past decade+. Everyone already knows that.
Nothing indicates lithium mining & refining is at its physical or technology limits. Far from it: we see large low-hanging fruit for process improvements in both.
Ion exchange and/or membrane and/or electrochemical separation vs ponds, lithium carbonate intermediate vs lithium hydroxide, clay vs spodumene, etc. Lots of exciting stuff going on!
Then please share what storage mechanism is going to be cheaper.
> Second, natural resources almost always get cheaper to extract as demand increases, especially when they’re not actually scarce (there’s tons of Lithium out there).
Incorrect, as easily accessible reserves get depleted more and more remote reserves must be tapped. This increases cost of extraction.