{"id":12421,"date":"2021-09-14T15:44:58","date_gmt":"2021-09-14T15:44:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/?p=12421"},"modified":"2021-09-14T15:44:58","modified_gmt":"2021-09-14T15:44:58","slug":"lithium-mining-issues","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/lithium-mining-issues\/","title":{"rendered":"Lithium Mining Issues"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2021\/09\/istock-1060659366_lithiummine-4.jpg\" style=\"float: right;border: 0;margin: 10px\" alt=\"lithium mining\" title=\"Rockwood Lithium Mine istock photo\" width=\"450\" height=\"338\" class=\"alignright\" \/>The element Lithium, an alkali metal, is atomic number 3 on the periodic table, and<span>&nbsp;makes up only 0.0007 percent of the Earth&#8217;s crust, according to the&nbsp;<\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/education.jlab.org\/itselemental\/ele003.html\" class=\"hawk-link-parsed\" data-url=\"http:\/\/education.jlab.org\/itselemental\/ele003.html\" data-component-tracked=\"1\">Jefferson Lab<\/a>. It w<span><span>as discovered in the mineral petalite (LiAl(Si<\/span><sub>2<\/sub><span>O<\/span><sub>5<\/sub><span>)<\/span><sub>2<\/sub><span>) by Johann August Arfvedson in 1817, and i<\/span>t&#8217;s only found in minerals and salts.&nbsp;<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p>It has many uses, however, The&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/pubs.usgs.gov\/periodicals\/mcs2021\/mcs2021.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">USGS Mineral Commodity Summary for 2021<\/a>&nbsp;reports that 71% of lithium is used for batteries. &#8220;Lithium consumption for batteries has increased significantly in recent years because rechargeable lithium batteries are used extensively in the growing market for portable electronic devices and increasingly are used in electric tools, electric vehicles, and grid storage applications. Lithium minerals were used directly as ore concentrates in ceramics and glass applications.&#8221; The report goes on to say global consumption of lithium in 2020 was estimated to be 56,000 tons of lithium content, and the second half of 2020 saw lithium demand increase owing primarily to strong growth in the lithium-ion battery market.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Mined lithium resources include continental brines, geothermal brines, hectorite, oilfield brines, and pegmatites. The commodity report notes that five mineral operations in Australia, two brine operations each in Argentina and Chile, and two brine and one mineral operation in China accounted for the majority of world lithium production, but added that&nbsp;brine-based and mineral-based lithium sources were in various stages of development in those and other countries as well.<\/p>\n<p><span>A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/future\/article\/20201124-how-geothermal-lithium-could-revolutionise-green-energy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">BBC Future<\/a> article has recently reported on some of the world&rsquo;s highest grades of lithium that have been found in geothermal waters.<span>&nbsp;&#8220;<span>Geothermal brine is a hot, concentrated saline solution that has circulated through very hot rocks and become enriched with elements such as lithium, boron and potassium.&#8221; &#8230; and there are<span>&nbsp;plans to extract potentially significant lithium resources from the brine in the region&#8217;s mines.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Additional Articles<\/h2>\n<p>We&#8217;ve addressed lithium, its uses, and its supply issue in several of our previously written articles.&nbsp; If you&#8217;re looking for more information on the mining and use of lithium, read, or re-read, these articles:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/lithium-needed-for-hybrid-mining-equipment-batteries\/?icid=CAD_blog_mining_2021Sept\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Lithium Needed for Hybrid Mining Equipment Batteries<\/a>.&nbsp;Hybrid drive mining trucks<span>, utilizing lithium-ion batteries, are in the works to help the environment &#8212; especially since these trucks have the opportunity to recuperate a considerable amount of energy downhill and store it in batteries.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/wastewater-from-hydraulic-fracturing-may-be-a-new-source-of-lithium?icid=CAD_blog_mining_2021Sept\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Wastewater from Hydraulic Fracturing May Be a New Source of Lithium<\/a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;<span>The lithium supply issue is so concerning because lithium is a poorly concentrated mineral that is difficult to obtain.&nbsp;<span>Scientists may have discovered an alternative means of obtaining lithium, from an unlikely source.&nbsp;<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/lithium-still-a-valued-source-encouraging-old-mines-to-re-open?icid=CAD_blog_mining_2021Sept\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span><span>Lithium Still a Valued Source, Encouraging Old Mines to Re-Open<\/span><\/span><\/a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;<span>According to the USGS, lithium supply security has become a top priority for technology companies in the United States and Asia over the past couple of years. Strategic alliances and joint ventures among technology companies and exploration companies continue to be established to ensure a reliable, diversified supply of lithium for battery suppliers and vehicle manufacturers.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/3nvEK7H\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span>Lithium Producing Countries Becoming Lithium Battery Producers?<\/span><\/a>&nbsp;<span>&nbsp;Rather than dig out minerals and see others abroad get rich with them, some countries want to keep production at home and profits in their own pockets.&nbsp;<span>Because the countries have the supply of lithium, they want to attract companies that could transform the raw materials into chemical components used in batteries and electronics.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/nickel-mining-growing-due-to-lithium-ion-batteries?icid=CAD_blog_mining_2021Sept\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span><span>Nickel Mining Growing Due to Lithium Ion Batteries<\/span><\/span><\/a>.&nbsp;<span>Some predictions suggest that electric vehicles will make up more than 10% of vehicles by 2025, most of which will be powered by nickel-containing Li-ion batteries. Using nickel in car batteries offers greater energy density and storage at lower cost, delivering a longer range for vehicles.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Other Resources<\/h2>\n<p><span>If you&#8217;re curious as to how&nbsp;<span>manufacturers of lithium-ion batteries are using the latest technology to improve their safety, consistency and efficiency and to deliver high quality, reliable products, see this <a href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/3kaavB3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">battery manufacturing technology page<\/a>&nbsp;with a link to an interactive workflow.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The element Lithium, an alkali metal, is atomic number 3 on the periodic table, and&nbsp;makes up only 0.0007 percent of the Earth&#8217;s crust, according to the&nbsp;Jefferson Lab. It was discovered in the mineral petalite (LiAl(Si2O5)2) by Johann August Arfvedson in 1817, and it&#8217;s only found in minerals and salts.&nbsp; It has many uses, however, The&nbsp;USGS<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":38,"featured_media":12429,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"division":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-12421","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-general-industry-mining","8":"entry"},"_selected_authors":"","_selected_reviewers":"","acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.8 (Yoast SEO v27.8) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Lithium Mining Issues<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The latest on the mining and use of the element lithium, its resources, supply, where it can be found, and why it is needed.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/lithium-mining-issues\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Lithium Mining Issues\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The latest on the mining and use of the element lithium, its resources, supply, where it can be found, and why it is needed.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/lithium-mining-issues\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Advancing Mining\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/thermofisher\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2021-09-14T15:44:58+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2021\/09\/istock-1060659366_lithiummine-4.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"682\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"512\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@thermofisher\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@thermofisher\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/mining\\\/lithium-mining-issues\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/mining\\\/lithium-mining-issues\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/mining\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/11bbcaf39c3abda3e0648991cb0f5ea8\"},\"headline\":\"Lithium Mining Issues\",\"datePublished\":\"2021-09-14T15:44:58+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/mining\\\/lithium-mining-issues\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":673,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/mining\\\/lithium-mining-issues\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/mining\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/3\\\/2021\\\/09\\\/istock-1060659366_lithiummine-4.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"General\\\/Industry\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/mining\\\/lithium-mining-issues\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/mining\\\/lithium-mining-issues\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/mining\\\/lithium-mining-issues\\\/\",\"name\":\"Lithium Mining Issues\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/mining\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/mining\\\/lithium-mining-issues\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/mining\\\/lithium-mining-issues\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/mining\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/3\\\/2021\\\/09\\\/istock-1060659366_lithiummine-4.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2021-09-14T15:44:58+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/mining\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/11bbcaf39c3abda3e0648991cb0f5ea8\"},\"description\":\"The latest on the mining and use of the element lithium, its resources, supply, where it can be found, and why it is needed.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/mining\\\/lithium-mining-issues\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/mining\\\/lithium-mining-issues\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/mining\\\/lithium-mining-issues\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/mining\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/3\\\/2021\\\/09\\\/istock-1060659366_lithiummine-4.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/mining\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/3\\\/2021\\\/09\\\/istock-1060659366_lithiummine-4.jpg\",\"width\":682,\"height\":512,\"caption\":\"lithium mining\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/mining\\\/lithium-mining-issues\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/mining\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Lithium Mining Issues\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/mining\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/mining\\\/\",\"name\":\"Advancing Mining\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/mining\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/mining\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/11bbcaf39c3abda3e0648991cb0f5ea8\",\"name\":\"Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/d4ecccff16bb946462f4389b39255e116430923ec42d08f298b5633eba2d07dd?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/d4ecccff16bb946462f4389b39255e116430923ec42d08f298b5633eba2d07dd?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/d4ecccff16bb946462f4389b39255e116430923ec42d08f298b5633eba2d07dd?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane\"},\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/author\\\/mgasdiacochrane\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Lithium Mining Issues","description":"The latest on the mining and use of the element lithium, its resources, supply, where it can be found, and why it is needed.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/lithium-mining-issues\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Lithium Mining Issues","og_description":"The latest on the mining and use of the element lithium, its resources, supply, where it can be found, and why it is needed.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/lithium-mining-issues\/","og_site_name":"Advancing Mining","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/thermofisher","article_published_time":"2021-09-14T15:44:58+00:00","og_image":[{"width":682,"height":512,"url":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2021\/09\/istock-1060659366_lithiummine-4.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@thermofisher","twitter_site":"@thermofisher","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/lithium-mining-issues\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/lithium-mining-issues\/"},"author":{"name":"Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane","@id":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/#\/schema\/person\/11bbcaf39c3abda3e0648991cb0f5ea8"},"headline":"Lithium Mining Issues","datePublished":"2021-09-14T15:44:58+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/lithium-mining-issues\/"},"wordCount":673,"commentCount":0,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/lithium-mining-issues\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2021\/09\/istock-1060659366_lithiummine-4.jpg","articleSection":["General\/Industry"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/lithium-mining-issues\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/lithium-mining-issues\/","url":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/lithium-mining-issues\/","name":"Lithium Mining Issues","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/lithium-mining-issues\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/lithium-mining-issues\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2021\/09\/istock-1060659366_lithiummine-4.jpg","datePublished":"2021-09-14T15:44:58+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/#\/schema\/person\/11bbcaf39c3abda3e0648991cb0f5ea8"},"description":"The latest on the mining and use of the element lithium, its resources, supply, where it can be found, and why it is needed.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/lithium-mining-issues\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/lithium-mining-issues\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/lithium-mining-issues\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2021\/09\/istock-1060659366_lithiummine-4.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2021\/09\/istock-1060659366_lithiummine-4.jpg","width":682,"height":512,"caption":"lithium mining"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/lithium-mining-issues\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Lithium Mining Issues"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/#website","url":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/","name":"Advancing Mining","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/#\/schema\/person\/11bbcaf39c3abda3e0648991cb0f5ea8","name":"Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d4ecccff16bb946462f4389b39255e116430923ec42d08f298b5633eba2d07dd?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d4ecccff16bb946462f4389b39255e116430923ec42d08f298b5633eba2d07dd?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d4ecccff16bb946462f4389b39255e116430923ec42d08f298b5633eba2d07dd?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane"},"url":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/author\/mgasdiacochrane\/"}]}},"taxonomy_info":{"category":[{"value":5,"label":"General\/Industry"}]},"featured_image_src_large":["https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2021\/09\/istock-1060659366_lithiummine-4.jpg",682,512,false],"author_info":{"display_name":"Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane","author_link":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/author\/mgasdiacochrane\/"},"comment_info":0,"category_info":[{"term_id":5,"name":"General\/Industry","slug":"general-industry-mining","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":5,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":74,"filter":"raw","meta":[],"cat_ID":5,"category_count":74,"category_description":"","cat_name":"General\/Industry","category_nicename":"general-industry-mining","category_parent":0}],"tag_info":false,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":13977,"url":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/what-is-in-situ-geochemical-analysis-and-why-it-is-critical-for-modern-field-operations\/","url_meta":{"origin":12421,"position":0},"title":"What Is In Situ Geochemical Analysis \u2014 And Why It Is Critical for Modern Field Operations","author":"Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane","date":"March 13, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"In situ geochemical analysis has become a cornerstone of modern mineral exploration, mining, and environmental fieldwork. As project timelines tighten and operational costs increase, organizations can no longer afford delays caused by traditional laboratory testing workflows. In situ analysis \u2014 the ability to measure elemental composition directly at the sampling\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Exploration&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Exploration","link":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/exploration\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Close up of industrial worker holding mineral ore in gloved hands on mining site","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/03\/iStock-896157842.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/03\/iStock-896157842.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/03\/iStock-896157842.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/03\/iStock-896157842.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/03\/iStock-896157842.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/03\/iStock-896157842.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13544,"url":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/did-you-read-these-mining-and-minerals-articles-yet\/","url_meta":{"origin":12421,"position":1},"title":"Did You Read These Mining and Minerals Articles Yet?","author":"Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane","date":"December 16, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"According to Google, here are the Top 10 read articles this year from Advancing Mining. Some have been around for quite awhile, but are still as relevant as ever. If you missed any of the latest articles, just click\u00a0here\u00a0to see the most recently published articles. You can even filter by\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;General\/Industry&quot;","block_context":{"text":"General\/Industry","link":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/general-industry-mining\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Top 10, words, isolated on a dark blue background. Alphabet on stone blocks.Rating. Rating concept. Background.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/12\/iStock-1411361298.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/12\/iStock-1411361298.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/12\/iStock-1411361298.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/12\/iStock-1411361298.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/12\/iStock-1411361298.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/12\/iStock-1411361298.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2707,"url":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/potash-a-look-at-the-worlds-most-popular-fertilizer\/","url_meta":{"origin":12421,"position":2},"title":"Potash: A Look at the World\u2019s Most Popular Fertilizer","author":"Ali Somarin","date":"April 8, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Potash Explained Potash is one of the most essential fertilizers in modern agriculture, supplying potassium\u2014an irreplaceable nutrient that supports plant growth, crop yield, and overall food production. According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), about 85% of potash is used in fertilizers, underscoring its critical role in global farming systems.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Data Management\/Lab Automation&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Data Management\/Lab Automation","link":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/data-management-lab-automation\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"potash evaporation ponds at mining site","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2014\/06\/iStock-1362567340.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2014\/06\/iStock-1362567340.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2014\/06\/iStock-1362567340.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2014\/06\/iStock-1362567340.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2014\/06\/iStock-1362567340.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2014\/06\/iStock-1362567340.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13986,"url":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/best-practices-for-accurate-in-situ-geochemical-analysis\/","url_meta":{"origin":12421,"position":3},"title":"Best Practices for Accurate In Situ Geochemical Analysis","author":"Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane","date":"March 24, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"In situ geochemical analysis refers to elemental testing performed directly on geological materials in their natural location, avoiding the delays and costs associated with laboratory testing.\u00a0 While in situ geochemical analysis delivers immediate elemental data, the reliability of those results depends heavily on proper field methodology. Portable analytical technologies used\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Exploration&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Exploration","link":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/exploration\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Mining truck on a dirt road in the Andes, Chile (near Embalse El Yeso, Caj\u00f3n del Maipo, San Jos\u00e9 de Maipo)","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/03\/iStock-2222354034.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/03\/iStock-2222354034.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/03\/iStock-2222354034.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/03\/iStock-2222354034.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/03\/iStock-2222354034.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/03\/iStock-2222354034.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13488,"url":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/the-role-of-edxrf-spectrometers-in-the-extraction-of-copper-from-ore\/","url_meta":{"origin":12421,"position":4},"title":"The Role of EDXRF Spectrometers in the Extraction of Copper from Ore","author":"Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane","date":"November 4, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Copper extraction is a complex process requiring precise control to ensure high purity. Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (EDXRF) spectrometers play a vital role by providing fast, non-destructive elemental analysis of ores, concentrates, and intermediate products. This enables mining operations to optimize extraction efficiency, maintain quality assurance, and meet stringent industry\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Elemental\/Geochemical Analysis&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Elemental\/Geochemical Analysis","link":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/elemental-geochemical-analysis\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"a rock showing signs of copper and gold.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/10\/iStock-1309478061.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/10\/iStock-1309478061.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/10\/iStock-1309478061.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/10\/iStock-1309478061.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/10\/iStock-1309478061.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/10\/iStock-1309478061.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":14123,"url":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/why-coal-chemistry-matters-in-coal-fired-power-generation\/","url_meta":{"origin":12421,"position":5},"title":"Why Coal Chemistry Matters in Coal-Fired Power Generation\u00a0","author":"Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane","date":"July 28, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary For coal manufacturers, product quality extends far beyond tonnage and\u00a0logistics. The chemical characteristics of coal directly influence power plant efficiency, emissions performance, maintenance requirements, and overall operating costs. As utilities continue to focus on fuel optimization and regulatory compliance, understanding coal chemistry has become essential for suppliers\u00a0seeking\u00a0to deliver value\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Coal&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Coal","link":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/coal\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Stone coal lump in scientist hand","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/07\/iStock-1371922462_coallab.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/07\/iStock-1371922462_coallab.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/07\/iStock-1371922462_coallab.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/07\/iStock-1371922462_coallab.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/07\/iStock-1371922462_coallab.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/07\/iStock-1371922462_coallab.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2021\/09\/istock-1060659366_lithiummine-4.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12421","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/38"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12421"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12421\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12429"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12421"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12421"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12421"},{"taxonomy":"division","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/division?post=12421"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}