Tech
Flash Joule heating lights up lithium extraction from ores
A new one‑step, water‑, acid‑, and alkali‑free method for extracting high‑purity lithium from spodumene ore has the potential to transform critical metal processing and enhance renewable energy supply chains. The study is published in Science Advances.
As the demand for lithium continues to rise, particularly for use in electric cars, smartphones and power storage, current extraction methods are struggling to keep pace. Extracting lithium from salty water is a lengthy process, and traditional methods that use heat and chemicals to extract lithium from rock produce significant amounts of harmful waste.
Researchers led by James Tour, the T.T. and W.F. Chao Professor of Chemistry and professor of materials science and nanoengineering at Rice University, have developed a faster and cleaner method using flash Joule heating (FJH). This technique rapidly heats materials to thousands of degrees within milliseconds and works in conjunction with chlorine gas, exposing the rock to intense heat and chlorine gas, they can quickly convert spodumene ore into usable lithium.
“This method reimagines how to harvest lithium from its most abundant ore, spodumene, a material that is abundant in the U.S.,” said Tour, co‑corresponding author of the study. “We can leapfrog monthslong water evaporation pools and dayslong acid leaching and then directly generate lithium chloride.”
Hypothesis, experiments and the novelty of approach
Guided by thermodynamic calculations, the researchers exposed α‑spodumene, a naturally occurring hard‑rock lithium mineral, to FJH and chlorine gas. This one‑step process eliminates the need for the traditional multistep acid roasting method, allowing lithium to be extracted directly as lithium chloride.
With a flash of electrical current, the mineral shifted from its stable α‑phase to the high temperature‑accessed β‑phase, making lithium available for reaction with chlorine gas. The lithium then vaporized as lithium chloride, while aluminum and silicon compounds were left behind. All of this was complete within seconds.
“Present techniques rely on multistep, chemically intensive treatments,” said study co‑corresponding author Yufeng Zhao, an associate professor of physics at Corban University and visiting professor at Rice. “The unique aspect of this method is the combination of rapid, uniform heating and favorable thermodynamics, which together enable practical and selective extraction.”

Traditional methods, from acid roasting to brine evaporation, simply weren’t designed for ultrafast separation, said Shichen Xu, the first author of the study and a postdoctoral researcher at Rice.
“Our controlled, rapid‑heating approach overcomes kinetic barriers that have hindered single‑step extraction for decades,” Xu said.
Findings and broader significance
The researchers achieved nearly instantaneous lithium extraction from spodumene, producing lithium chloride with 97% purity and 94% recovery, significantly outperforming traditional methods that can take days to months.
“This method paves the way for local, small‑footprint lithium processing units or large‑scale units for massive waste mining operations,” said Justin Sharp, co‑first author and research assistant. “It’s a real paradigm shift. We can now envision battery‑grade lithium production without acids, without large waste outputs and without waiting weeks.”
Additionally, a startup from Tour’s lab, Flash Metals U.S., is already scaling this technology for metals extraction from waste.
“They would be able to rapidly implement this method into their production line once their pilot plant begins operation early next year,” Sharp said.
Environmentally, the elimination of acid and alkali significantly reduces waste burden. Economically, shorter processing times and simpler infrastructure could lower costs and decentralize lithium supply. Academically, the work demonstrates the rapid, acid‑free extraction of lithium from natural ore, raising possibilities for applying FJH and chlorine gas to other strategic minerals.
Co‑authors of the study include Rice’s Alex Lathem, Qiming Liu, Lucas Eddy, Weiqiang Chen, Karla Silva, Shihui Chen, Bowen Li, Tengda Si, Jaeho Shin, Chi Hun Choi, Yimo Han, Kai Gong and Boris Yakobson, along with Yufeng Zhao from Corban University.
More information:
Shichen Xu et al, One-step separation of lithium from natural ores in seconds, Science Advances (2025). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.ady6457
Citation:
Flash Joule heating lights up lithium extraction from ores (2025, October 7)
retrieved 7 October 2025
from https://techxplore.com/news/2025-10-joule-lithium-ores.html
This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no
part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.
Tech
Sign Up and Get a $25 Logitech Promo Code This Black Friday
A leader in almost everything tech and home-office related for over 40 years, Swiss-founded Logitech offers a vast array of products, including keyboards, consoles, webcams, and tech gear made especially for education, business, and gaming. We at WIRED know the company’s wares well (obviously), so we’ve found the latest Logitech promo codes and deals to save on any type of tech purchase.
Logitech makes seriously great Bluetooth keyboards, keyboard cases, and smart pencils that made our Best iPad Accessories list. We also named the Logitech Pro X 2 the best gaming headset in our wireless headphones guide. If you want to keep the spirit of playfulness alive, fellow F1 enthusiast (and senior editor of product reviews) Parker Hall raved about Logitech’s high-tech wheel, pedals, and seat racing simulation set to help you become the Lewis Hamilton of your gaming fantasies. Check out these Logitech discounts we’ve found to help you ball (technologically) on a budget.
Save Up to 50% At the Logitech Black Friday Sale
Early birds get the worm! And get rewarded for shopping early at Logitech. If you shop early, through November 26, you can save up to 50%. Plus, you’ll also receive a free M340 Mouse ($23 value) when you order over $150.
Sign Up and Get a $25 Logitech Promo Code
You can save big on important tech at Logitech right now by simply signing up for texts. All you need to do is input your information to stay up to date on the latest Logitech promos, releases, and rotating deals via text. After successfully signing up, Logitech will send you a coupon for 15% off. In addition to this ongoing deal, if you sign up now, you’ll receive an exclusive offer via email that will give you $25 off your purchase of $200 or more, which is stackable with other current sitewide promotions. This specific offer must be redeemed by December 2, so be sure to sign up ASAP.
Tips and Tricks for More Logitech Discounts
Even if you don’t have a promo code on hand, Logitech has plenty of ways to save, with free shipping on orders of $29 or more (a super-easy mark to hit). Many products also qualify for a gift with purchase, so take advantage of a free MX travel case, keyboard sleeve, or 1 month of Adobe Creative Cloud. And for a limited time, when you buy one product, you can get a second for 25% off.
With an array of helpful products for students, Logitech is making it easier to get all this game-changing tech. Students can get a 25% discount on products after registering and verifying their student status with UNiDAYS.
Shop Trending Logitech Products
As mentioned, Logitech has nearly every type of tech product needed for productivity in your office or school, but also has some really innovative tech products for home and gaming. Looking to get serious about your WFH (or gaming) setup? Logitech’s MX Keys S Advanced Wireless Illuminated Keyboard is a bestseller because of its portability, ergonomic design, and cheap price point. The bestselling MX Vertical Advanced Ergonomic Mouse is occasionally discounted, so save your hand the cramps and carpal tunnel (while saving some coin, too).
Tech
OpenAI Locks Down San Francisco Offices Following Alleged Threat From Activist
OpenAI employees in San Francisco were told to stay inside the office on Friday afternoon after the company purportedly received a threat from an individual who was previously associated with the Stop AI activist group.
“Our information indicates that [name] from StopAI has expressed interest in causing physical harm to OpenAI employees,” a member of the internal communications team wrote on Slack. “He has previously been on site at our San Francisco facilities.”
Just before 11 am, San Francisco police received a 911 call about a man allegedly making threats and intending to harm others at 550 Terry Francois Boulevard, which is near OpenAI’s offices in the Mission Bay neighborhood, according to data tracked by the crime app Citizen. A police scanner recording archived on the app describes the suspect by name and alleges he may have purchased weapons with the intention of targeting additional OpenAI locations.
Hours before the incident on Friday, the individual who police flagged as allegedly making the threat said he was no longer part of Stop AI in a post on social media.
WIRED reached out to the man in question but did not immediately receive a response. San Francisco police also did not immediately respond to a request for comment. OpenAI did not provide a statement prior to publication.
On Slack, the internal communications team provided three images of the man suspected of making the threat. Later, a high-ranking member of the global security team said “At this time, there is no indication of active threat activity, the situation remains ongoing and we’re taking measured precautions as the assessment continues.” Employees were told to remove their badges when exiting the building and to avoid wearing clothing items with the OpenAI logo.
Over the past couple of years, protestors affiliated with groups calling themselves Stop AI, No AGI, and Pause AI have held demonstrations outside the San Francisco offices of several AI companies, including OpenAI and Anthropic, over concerns that the unfettered development of advanced AI could harm humanity. In February, protestors were arrested for locking the front doors to OpenAI’s Mission Bay office. Earlier this month, StopAI claimed its public defender was the man who jumped onstage to subpoena OpenAI CEO Sam Altman during an onstage interview in San Francisco.
In a Pause AI press release from last year, the individual who police said was alleged to have made the threat against OpenAI staffers is described as an organizer and quoted as saying that he would find “life not worth living” if AI technologies were to replace humans in making scientific discoveries and taking over jobs. “Pause AI may be viewed as radical amongst AI people and techies,” he said. “But it is not radical amongst the general public, and neither is stopping AGI development altogether.”
Tech
Activists Are Using ‘Fortnite’ to Fight Back Against ICE
SteveTheGamer55 is live on YouTube. He’s streaming a session to his 4.6 million subscribers of GTA 5 RP, a Grand Theft Auto 5 mod that allows people to role-play with other players. “Really wanna show you guys some real-life scenarios,” he says, offering a little background on his character, a man headed to his job while on a work visa.
His character doesn’t get far before an SUV swings onto the sidewalk in front of him; masked ICE agents spill out of the vehicle. “Stop right there,” one of the uniformed players says. It isn’t long before SteveTheGamer55 is surrounded by agents. He hands over his ID while bystander players yell at the agents and demand his release. “Why are you harassing people?” one says, before the worker is finally let go. Later in SteveTheGamer55’s play session, he stands in front of a large iron gate reminiscent of those in ICE detention centers seen in cities like Chicago. More in-game ICE agents have gathered. He records from his phone. Just in front of him, a player in a red suit demands to see a warrant for his client.
The “special event” held on November 20, where players took on different roles that reflect real-life ICE raids, was the first initiative by New Save Collective, a baker’s dozen of gamers with backgrounds in activism and organizing, whose goal is to educate gamers and teach people about their rights when dealing with ICE in real-world situations. On November 21, at 7:30 pm ET, gamers will gather in Epic’s massively popular battle royale, Fortnite, to hold a closed scavenger hunt that will serve as a more casual educational opportunity. The group is working with several immigration advocacy groups, as well as collaborating with content creators, to spread their message online.
Online gaming spaces have long appealed to the right as a place to push conservative or even extremist ideologies. The US military has been open about its attempts to use games as a recruitment tool, and immigration authorities are no different. In October, the Department of Homeland Security posted an image aping marketing for the Halo series. “Finishing this fight,” the agency’s official account tweeted—a reference to Halo 3’s tagline—alongside an image with the text “Destroy the Flood” slapped over a blurry depiction of the game’s supersoldiers; the Flood are Halo’s alien antagonists. DHS has also riffed off of Pokémon’s “gotta catch ’em all” tagline, going as far as to post a video of ICE agents destroying property and arresting people, interspersed with the show’s opening.
A spokesperson previously told The Hill that the DHS “will reach people where they are with content they can relate to and understand, whether that be Halo, Pokémon, The Lord of The Rings, or any other medium.” But where movements like Gamergate peddled in harassment, hatred, and exclusion, New Save Collective’s goal is to foster a community that is kind, authentic, and oriented towards doing good.
“Most of us are immigrants, or children of immigrants, or children of refugees,” says one organizer who goes by PitaBreadFace online. (The organizer requested WIRED not use his name out of safety concerns.) “We’re here at this stage in the political climate to cultivate some belonging, but also move people towards a shared purpose that everyone seems pretty hungry for.”
-
Tech7 days agoNew carbon capture method uses water and pressure to remove CO₂ from emissions at half current costs
-
Business7 days agoThese 9 Common Money Mistakes Are Eating Your Income
-
Sports6 days agoTexas A&M officer scolds South Carolina wide receiver after touchdown; department speaks out
-
Politics1 week agoBritish-Pakistani honoured for transforming UK halal meat industry
-
Fashion1 week agoAfter London, Leeds and Newcastle, next stop Glasgow for busy Omnes
-
Business1 week agoWhat’s behind Rachel Reeves’s hokey cokey on income tax rises?
-
Tech1 week ago$25 Off Exclusive Blue Apron Coupon for November 2025
-
Sports1 week agoApple scrapping MLS Season Pass service in ’26
