so theres digging a great big toxic scar in the earth that can't be used for anything else afterwards..

.. and then theres pumping it out of the ground and extracting it from brine ..

which takes months or years to evaporate, has to dry out on surface, brings contamination to the surface, and could potentially accidentally contaminate the groundwater table. (editing to add that this is being done in desert salt flats with non potable water now... that its being done in arkansas is a little different and carries this risk)

i just read about some cool evaporation devices that speed it up and disperse the brine into the air. if it has lithium in it maybe we could point it the sky in portland or seattle or san francisco hmmmm /s (on this part).

id rate it as something that could be cleaner or safer or better with innovation.

so theres digging a great big toxic scar in the earth that can't be used for anything else afterwards..

.. and then theres pumping it out of the ground and extracting it from brine ..

which takes months or years to evaporate, has to dry out on surface, brings contamination to the surface, and could potentially accidentally contaminate the groundwater table.

i just read about some cool evaporation devices that speed it up and disperse the brine into the air. if it has lithium in it maybe we could point it the sky in portland or seattle or san francisco hmmmm /s (on this part).

id rate it as something that could be cleaner or safer or better with innovation.