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Occidental Petroleum, Berkshire Hathaway kind JV to extract lithium

Occidental Petroleum said on Tuesday it had actually entered into a joint venture with Berkshire Hathaway's energy system to extract lithium.

The energy manufacturer said it would use its innovation to extract and commercially produce high-purity lithium substances at Berkshire's geothermal facility in California.

Lithium is the crucial metal used in the production of batteries for electrical automobiles, consumer electronics and energy grid storage.

Oil majors are investing in the electrification sector as federal governments in the United States and Europe establish programs to promote the broader usage of EVs and reduce fossil-fuel intake.

Exxon Mobil has plans to begin producing lithium from sub-surface wells by 2027, while European oil competitors BP and Shell have purchased EV charging stations as part of their energy transition methods.

Occidental stated the job would show the expediency of utilizing its system's direct lithium extraction technology to produce lithium in an ecologically safe way.

BHE Renewables, Berkshire's energy unit, operates 10 geothermal power plants in California's Imperial Valley that can procedure 50,000 gallons of lithium-rich brine per minute to produce 345 megawatts of clean energy.

Upon successful presentation, BHE Renewables plans to construct, own and operate business lithium production facilities in California's Imperial Valley.

(source: Reuters)