Title:

Prospecting for Lithium in Pegmatites

This study evaluates lithium resources in spodumene-bearing pegmatites in Maine and their economic and environmental impacts. Spodumene is used for lithium in glassmaking, ceramics, and batteries, which are in high demand due to renewable energy and electric vehicles. We estimated about 6.34 × 10⁹ kg of spodumene in the area, containing about 2.67 × 10⁸ kg of Li₂O, with a value of about 10.8 billion USD. Sample preparation included breaking rocks with a hammer and chisel, crushing with a jaw crusher, grinding with a disk mill, sieving to 125–500 microns, and splitting samples. Samples were cleaned with distilled water and a sonicator, then separated using lithium heteropolytungstate (LST) for density separation and a magnet to remove black schorl. Lithium mining could affect surface water through heavy metals like arsenic, sediment runoff, and habitat fragmentation. Maine’s Metallic Mineral Mining Act also limits mining, making large-scale extraction unlikely.

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