| Title | MINERAL EXTRACTION FROM NEW ZEALAND’S GEOTHERMAL BRINES: WHERE TO NEXT? |
|---|---|
| Authors | M. Climo, E. Mroczek, B. Carey, A. Hill, B. Barton |
| Year | 2015 |
| Conference | New Zealand Geothermal Workshop |
| Keywords | New Zealand, mineral extraction, geothermal brines, silica, lithium, market drivers, regulatory framework, legal rights, technologies, chemical composition, economic viability. |
| Abstract | New Zealand’s geothermal brines offer potential for the extraction of various metals and minerals, given both the fluid compositions and volumes discharged. The realisation of commercial value from the extracted constituents could create new industries, support economic development, and potentially provide additional revenue streams for geothermal energy generation and related industries. A 2013-2015 New Zealand Government-funded research programme (“From Waste to Wealth”) sought to identify potential processing technologies and, in particular, to provide a greater understanding of the barriers and success factors likely to influence the implementation of such technologies. This paper summarises the research to date and makes recommendations for New Zealand’s future research and investment in this area. |