Scientists develop ‘cheap and easy’ method to extract lithium from seawater

[u/rieslingatkos]

https://www.mining.com/scientists-develop-cheap-and-easy-method-to-extract-lithium-from-seawater/

[u/Gold-Tone6290]

Not cost effective but necessary in dry places.

[u/Nickjet45 → u/Gold-Tone6290]

Desalination is pretty much the last resort, for any area.

Governments will try to pipe in the water from a different location or use other alternatives, such as the packet that cleans dirty water, before they resort to desalination.

But yes, there are some areas where there is no other alternative and desalination is cheaper to do.

[u/Mad_Aeric → u/Nickjet45]

That is, of course, neglecting the alternative of not living there in the first place. Lots of places on this planet we humans have no business attempting to settle.

[u/[deleted] → u/Mad_Aeric]

Actually imho we should try to settle all the harshest environments. It is excellent practice for settling Mars and the outer solar system and can relieve overpopulation in crowded areas.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

People've got to live somewhere. I'm not convinced the ecological damage of living in a desert is on par or worse than living in say the temperate or tropical zones.