Perspectives on the Sustainable Development of Salt Lake Lithium Resources in the Qaidam Basin, China

Abstract

Lithium, a crucial material for new energy vehicle batteries and the energy storage sector, is encountering escalating global competition. The Qaidam Basin, being one of China's major lithium-rich salt lake brine regions, a key site for lithium extraction from salt lakes, and an important production base for lithium carbonate, considerably influences China's self-sufficiency in lithium resources. Based on analysing the lithium resource status and the development and utilisation status of brine in the Qarhan, East Taijnar, West Taijnar, Yiliping, and Big Qaidam salt lakes in this region, and by systematically categorising the distribution characteristics of brine in salt lakes and subsurface brine, including fissure-pore brine types and sand conglomerate pore brine types, the paper identifies key issues in the exploration, development, and utilisation of salt lake lithium resources in the Qaidam Basin, including inadequate availability of factors of production, insufficient continuity and security in resources, low levels of comprehensive utilisation, insufficient core competitiveness of enterprises, and gaps in technological innovation. Based on these challenges, the paper puts forward several measures such as enhancement of infrastructure, verification of existing resources, enhancement of comprehensive utilisation, industrial optimisation and upgrading, and deepening of collaborative innovation. These strategies offer insights into the sustainable development and high-quality industrial growth of lithium resources in the region.