Overview
- A paper published on May 28, 2026 in Science reports that MIT researchers recovered more than 95% of lithium from 17 different spodumene samples and announced a startup, Rock Zero, to commercialize the work.
- The team uses an ammonium‑fluoride solution at temperatures up to about 95°C to dissolve the silicate matrix that traps lithium, which removes the need for high‑temperature roasting and avoids producing hydrofluoric acid.
- The process is designed as a closed loop that reclaims the solvent and reagent, and it yields saleable co‑products: battery‑grade lithium salts, smelter‑grade alumina, and cement‑quality silica.
- Rock Zero has designed a pilot plant with construction targeted by the end of 2026 and first operation aimed for 2027, but the company still needs to prove reagent recycling at scale and validate performance under industrial conditions.
- If scaled with high reagent recovery, the team projects costs under $6,000 per metric ton, a figure experts say should be treated cautiously because market volatility, incumbent competition, and geopolitical concentration of refining could limit adoption.