The BMFTR-funded project TARDIS (FKZ 01DN26013) (Towards the sustainable implementation of direct lithium extract (DLE) processes: Improving brine processing and sustainable energy use), aims to develop and evaluate an integrated concept for sustainable lithium extraction from saline systems through the combination of DLE technologies and geothermal energy utilization.
The initiative is led by the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany, and is the sister project of the BMBF250004  ANID counterpart.

 

By integrating hydrochemical, geothermal, and technological approaches, the project aims to establish a scientific foundation for resource-efficient DLE processes.

This approach might increase the efficiency of the extraction process while reducing the use of fossil fuels by incorporating geothermal energy and reducing the water consumption through the reinjection of treated fluids into the hydrogeological system.

Main Lines of Work
The consolidation of geological, hydrogeochemical, and geothermal data, complemented by field-based data acquisition to establish a consistent site-specific database

Establish a consistent, site-specific database to support assessment of geothermal potential and the chemical suitability of salar and thermal waters for DLE processes.

Assess resource and energy potential through integration of collected data and characterization of lithium resources and geothermal systems.

Assess geochemical impacts of DLE technologies and compare complementary approaches such as adsorption, ion exchange, and membrane processes

 

Simulate fluid-rock interactions resulting from production and reinjection under different operational scenarios.

Integrate all project findings into a comprehensive assessment of the combined DLE-geothermal system, by comparing integrated geothermal-DLE systems with conventional extraction technologies through a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), evaluating the overall environmental footprint, and identifying opportunities to improve resource efficiency.