Experts from Australia’s national science agency told ABHR about Australia’s wealth of spodumene, which is the best source of lithium to extract and use in products.
According to Dr Ryan Manton from CSIRO’s mineral resources team, Australia’s stronghold in lithium mining is a result of two factors: an established hard rock mining sector and favourable geological conditions.
“We have a strong hard rock mining culture here, compared to other nations, so skills are transferable between commodities, I don’t think this is discussed enough,” Manton told ABHR.
The critical minerals research scientist said that infrastructure, expertise, and leadership styles from iron ore, nickel, gold, and bauxite mining have enabled Australia to rapidly develop its lithium mining sector.
“That’s why we were able to get many hard rock lithium deposits up off the ground in a short period of time,” Manton said.
Beyond experience, Western Australia possesses the right geology. Manton said that world-class lithium pegmatites (Li-pegmatites) form within a narrow geological age bracket of approximately 2700 million years ago.
Why spodumene?
Lithium can be extracted from several minerals, including petalite and lepidolite, but spodumene remains the most desirable.
CSIRO research scientist Dr Jo Miles said spodumene generally contains more lithium than its counterparts.
“Petalite has roughly half the amount of lithium compared to spodumene. By default, you need twice as many trucks to extract the same amount of lithium, which is an added challenge for potential producers,” Miles said.
Lithium-bearing micas, such as lepidolite, require even greater volumes of raw material to yield usable lithium. While extraction from these sources is feasible in regions like Africa and China, Australia’s preference is for high-grade, spodumene pegmatite deposits.
The science behind pegmatite formation
Understanding the formation of pegmatites is crucial for exploration, but geology controlling hard rock lithium remains relatively immature compared to commodities like gold and nickel.
“Most lithium pegmatites in Western Australia have been found through direct detection, that is they were sticking out of the ground. No one has been able to predict them terribly well,” Manton said. He said that only a small portion of pegmatites contain spodumene, and geologists are still investigating why some deposits are lithium-rich and others are not.
Scientific efforts are underway to address this knowledge gap, with the Western Australian Geological Survey and CSIRO leading research into pegmatite formation.
Hyperspectral technology’s role
Exploration geologists are increasingly using hyperspectral technologies to detect new spodumene deposits. These tools measure how minerals reflect light beyond the visible spectrum, allowing remote detection of potential lithium-bearing formations. Miles said that while spodumene itself has not traditionally been a primary target for hyperspectral techniques, new approaches are helping geologists map broader mineral systems.
“We have explorers here in WA using hyperspectral imaging from satellites, planes, and helicopters to conduct remote detection work.
“If we can first detect the bigger footprint, then we can start to narrow down onto the pegmatites themselves,” she said.
Machine learning and micro-scale analysis
Machine learning is also making its mark in lithium exploration, but Manton cautioned that it is not a “silver bullet”. Instead, it acts as an advanced statistical tool to identify patterns within large geological datasets.
“You need to understand the geological controls and relationships of those datasets; otherwise, you don’t know what data to collect in the first place,” he said.
Micro-scale analysis is another emerging field in lithium exploration. By analysing individual mineral grains, researchers can better understand how spodumene deposits are formed.
Securing Australia’s lithium supply chain
Australia’s lithium supply chain extends beyond mining, but midstream processing remains a challenge. While Australia excels in exploration and extraction, producing battery-grade materials at scale has proven difficult.
There is one operational lithium hydroxide conversion facility in Kwinana, owned by Tianqi, which processes spodumene from Greenbushes. Two additional plants, owned by Wesfarmers/SQM (Covalent) and Albemarle (Kemerton), are in various stages of development. Recent downturns in lithium prices have impacted investment.
Government initiatives are aiming to enhance Australia’s position in the lithium value chain, but Manton said developing a robust midstream and battery manufacturing sector remains challenging.