Geochemistry and mineralogy of wastes from lithium-bearing granite-pegmatite mining: resource potential and environmental risks

The global need for lithium (Li) is increasing due to its use in batteries which are used to make electric vehicles, wind turbines and fuel cells to facilitate the world’s ‘green transition’ to low carbon economies. The mining of Li, like that of other Earth materials, produces large volumes of waste such as tailings and processing chemicals. A growing body of research is addressing the resource potential and environmental impacts of wastes from mining of Li-bearing granites and pegmatites that produce around 40% of the world’s Li. The wastes are dominated by SiO2 and Al2O3, with lesser Na2O, K2O and Fe2O3, that are hosted in quartz, feldspar and micas. They can contain around 1 wt% Li2O that is found in residual spodumene, lepidolite and zinnwaldite, and trace (