Researchers from the John de Laeter Centre at Curtin have developed a method of “fingerprinting” lithium to determine where it was mined, promising greater transparency in the supply of minerals critical for the green energy transition.

The technique involves detecting unique chemical properties that indicate which country and mine site a sample comes from. Verifying the provenance of critical minerals is becoming increasingly important as governments around the world seek to bolster supply chains and promote sustainability for clean energy technology.

Read more about the project, led by Dr Prokopiy Vasilyev, on Rio Times Online or through subscription with Nekkia Asia.