Oil Driller Pioneer Tests Lithium Mining From Shale Wastewater

Pioneer Natural Resources Co.,one of the largest US shale drillers, is experimenting with mining lithium from wastewater produced in the fracking process.

Chief Executive Officer Scott Sheffield told Bloomberg Television that the company started doing tests about three years ago to see whether it’s feasible to extract minerals from the large amounts of dirty water generated by drilling in the Permian Basin of West Texas and New Mexico.

WATCH: The leaders of Pioneer Natural Resources speak to Bloomberg.

Source: Bloomberg

In addition to lithium, a key component of electric vehicle batteries, it might be possible to produce ammonia and gold from wastewater, Sheffield said. His comments came after Bloomberg News ...