Systems and methods for the enhancement of midstream-liquid resources for direct metal extraction

Description

SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR THE ENHANCEMENT OF MIDSTREAM-LIQUIDRESOURCES FOR DIRECT METAL EXTRACTIONCROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] The present PCT Patent Application claims priority7to U.S. Non-Provisional Utility Patent Application No. 18 / 601.898, filed on March 11, 2024, and entitled “SORBENT COMPOSITIONS WITH NANOBUBBLES IN PRODUCED WATER APPLICATIONS / ’ and claims priority to International Patent Application No. PCT / US24 / 19454, filed on March 11, 2024, and entitled “SORBENT COMPOSITIONS WITH NANOBUBBLES IN PRODUCED WATER APPLICATIONS,” both of which applications claim the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Utility Patent Application No. 63 / 489,639, filed on March 10, 2023, and entitled “USE OF SORBENT COMPOSITIONS WITH NANOBUBBLES IN PRODUCED WATER APPLICATIONS.” The disclosures of the prior Related Applications are considered part of and are incorporated by reference into the present Patent Application.TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The subject matter herein relates, generally, to the pre-treatment and treatment regimens of a midstream liquid resource. Exemplary7treatment regimens remove known impurities as well as chemicals associated with pre-treatment and their byproducts, thus removing impurities to optimize the extraction of a metal from a midstream liquid resource.SUMMARY

[0003] Embodiments of the present invention relate to methods and systems for enhancing the extraction of lithium from midstream-liquid resources. The invention addresses the need for effective pre-treatment and treatment processes to ensure the efficient removal of impurities and enhance lithium extraction.

[0004] Embodiments of the present disclosure may include a system for treating a midstream liquid resource and extracting critical materials, including a treatment station. In some embodiments, the treatment station receives a midstream liquid resource and applies a pre-treatment regimen to the midstream liquid resource to produce a pre-treated midstream liquid resource.

[0005] Embodiments may also include a critical material extraction (CME) system. In some embodiments, the CME system may include a material retention system. Embodiments may also include a midstream release system. In some embodiments, the material retentionsystem receives the pre-treated midstream liquid resource and applies a material extraction process to isolate a desired metal into a retentate from the pre-treated midstream liquid resource and flow the filtrate to the midstream release system.

[0006] Embodiments may also include a pre-treatment station which may include an Above-ground storage tank (AST), frac tank, weir tank, flotation tank, clarifier, gunbarrel tank, holding pond, or serpentine pipeline / tank. Embodiments may also include a pretreatment station receives the midstream liquid resource from desalination plant, produced water recycling facility, saltwater disposal facility, midstream recycling facility, frac water treatment plant, municipal wastewater treatment plant, industrial wastewater treatment plant, brine treatment facility, centralized treatment plant, evaporation pond, injection well, oilfield water handling facility, and mobile water treatment unit.

[0007] In some embodiments, the treatment station applies a pre-treatment regimen to the midstream liquid resource to produce a pre-treated midstream liquid resource. In some embodiments, the applied pre-treatment regimen may include at least one of a biocide, a flocculant, a coagulant, and a surfactant. In some embodiments, the treatment station may include a tubular membrane filtration, spiral wound membrane filtration, or flat sheet membrane filtration.

[0008] In some embodiments, the treatment station may include hollow fiber membrane filtration, ceramic membrane filtration, disc tube module filtration, ultrafiltration units, nanofiltration units, reverse osmosis systems, microfiltration systems, cross-flow filtration systems, activated carbon filtration. In some embodiments, the treatment station may include a biocide application station. In some embodiments, the biocide application station may include at least one of a chemical injection pump, a mixing tank, an injection manifold, and an automated dosing system. In some embodiments, the biocide application station applies the pre-treatment regimen to the midstream liquid resource to produce a pre-treated midstream liquid resource sufficiently oxidative to inhibit microbial growth.

[0009] In some embodiments, the treatment station may include a solid-removal station, the solid-removal station including at least one of a Dissolved Air Flotation (DAF) unit, a Suspended Air Flotation (SAF) unit, hydrocyclone, centrifuge, clarifier, media filter, sand filter, sock filter, or weir tank. In some embodiments, the solid-removal station reduces the amount of solids within the pre-treated midstream liquid resource sufficiently oxidative to inhibit microbial growth.

[0010] In some embodiments, the biocide-application station may include an automated control system to monitor and influence a biocide dosage based on ORP values detected fromat least one ORP sensor. In some embodiments, the automated control system may include at least one sensor feedback loop to activate operation of the at least one of the chemical injection pump, mixing tank, and injection manifold, to apply the biocide to achieve a biologically sterile pre-treated midstream-liquid resource.

[0011] In some embodiments, the solid-removal station may include an automated filtration control system integrated with an automated filtration control system to activate or modify a flow of midstream liquid resource to at least one of the Dissolved Air Flotation (DAF) unit. Suspended Air Flotation (SAF) unit, hydrocyclone, centrifuge, clarifier, media filter, sand filter, sock filter, or weir tank based on a detected solids content within the midstream liquid resource.

[0012] In some embodiments, the treatment station may include at least one of an organic-removal station, the organic-removal station may include at least one of an activated- carbon filter and a membrane-filtration system. In some embodiments, the organic-removal station removes at least one of organic compounds and a chemical used in an oil-recovery7process.

[0013] Embodiments may also include a chemical-neutralization station, the chemicalneutralization station may include at least one of a chemical-oxidation unit and an ozonetreatment unit. In some embodiments, the chemical-neutralization station neutralizes and breaks down chemical agents present in a midstream-liquid resource. Embodiments may also include an ion-removal station, the ion-removal station may include at least one of an ionexchange system and a deionization unit.

[0014] In some embodiments, the ion-removal station removes at least one of ions and dissolved chemicals from the midstream-liquid resource. Embodiments may also include a solid-and-residue-removal station, the solid-and-residue-removal station may include at least one of a coagulation unit, a flocculation unit, or an electrocoagulation unit.

[0015] In some embodiments, the solid-and-residue-removal station removes at least one of suspended solids, flocculated particles, or chemical residues from the midstream-liquid resource. Embodiments may also include a volatile-organic-compounds (VOC) stripping station, the VOC stripping station may include at least one of a stnpping tower and a stripping column. In some embodiments, the VOC stripping station removes volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from the midstream-liquid resource.

[0016] In some embodiments, the treatment station may include a monitoring system and at least one system-automation subcomponent. In some embodiments, the monitoring system transmits a command to the subcomponent. In some embodiments, the treatment station mayinclude a sensor network. In some embodiments, the sensor network may include at least one sensor to monitor a sensed attribute of the pre-treatment regimen. In some embodiments, the sensed attribute may be at least one of a flow rate, pressure, temperature, conductivity, total dissolved solids, chemical concentration, elemental concentration, H2S concentration, or turbidity of the pre-treated midstream-liquid resource.

[0017] Embodiments may also include a sensor transmitter. In some embodiments, the at least one sensor of the sensor network transmits data indicative of the of the sensed attribute to the monitoring system. Embodiments may also include a monitoring-system receiver. In some embodiments, the monitoring-system receiver processes the data indicative of the sensed attribute and transmits the command to the subcomponent based at least in part on the data indicative of the of the sensed attribute.

[0018] In some embodiments, the material-retention system of the critical-material- extraction (CME) system may include a filtration system. In some embodiments, the filtration system sequesters suspended solids greater than one micron in diameter in a filtered retentate from the pre-treated midstream-liquid resource. In some embodiments, the filtration system may be at least one of a hydrocyclone, a media filter, a ceramic filtration, a nanofiltration, a ceramic ultra-nano filtration, or a polymer-based membrane unit.

[0019] In some embodiments, the critical-material-extraction system receives the pretreated midstream-liquid resource and sequesters a filtered retentate including one or more of a Suspended Solid (SS), oil, organic matter, a flocculant, a coagulant, a surfactant oil, hydrogen sulfide, or iron precipitant prior to passing the pre-treated midstream-liquid resource to a critical-material-extraction unit.

[0020] In some embodiments, the critical-material-extraction system receives the pretreated midstream-liquid resource and sequesters a filtered retentate including one or more of a flocculant, a coagulant, a surfactant, a biocide, hydrogen sulfide, or an iron precipitant prior to passing the pre-treated midstream-liquid resource to a critical-material-extraction unit.

[0021] In some embodiments, the critical-material-extraction unit may include at least one of media-filtration unit. In some embodiments, the media-filtration unit sequesters at least one of flocculants and coagulants from the pre-treated midstream-liquid resource prior to passing the pre-treated midstream-liquid resource to a critical-material-extraction unit.

[0022] Embodiments may also include an activated-carbon filter. In some embodiments, the activated-carbon filter sequesters at least one of organics, surfactants, or biocides from the pre-treated midstream-liquid resource prior to passing the pre-treated midstream-liquidresource to a critical -material-extraction unit. Embodiments may also include a hydrogensulfide scrubber.

[0023] In some embodiments, the hydrogen-sulfide scrubber sequesters hydrogen sulfide from the pre-treated midstream-liquid resource prior to passing the pre-treated midstreamliquid resource to a critical-material-extraction unit. Embodiments may also include an iron- precipitation-removal unit. In some embodiments, the iron-precipitation-removal unit sequesters iron precipitant from the pre-treated midstream-liquid resource prior to passing the pre-treated midstream-liquid resource to a critical-material-extraction unit.

[0024] In some embodiments, the critical-material-extraction unit may include at least one of an ion-exchange unit. In some embodiments, the ion-exchange unit extracts a desired metal from the pre-treated midstream-liquid resource. Embodiments may also include a sorbent bed. In some embodiments, the sorbent bed extracts a desired metal from the pretreated midstream-liquid resource.

[0025] Embodiments may also include a membrane-filtration system. In some embodiments, the membrane-filtration system extracts a desired metal from the pre-treated midstream-liquid resource. Embodiments may also include an electrochemical-extraction system. In some embodiments, the electrochemical -extraction system extracts a desired metal from the pre-treated midstream-liquid resource. Embodiments may also include a resin. In some embodiments, the resin extracts a desired metal from the pre-treated midstream-liquid resource.

[0026] In some embodiments, the critical -material -extraction unit may include at least one of an ion-exchange unit. In some embodiments, the ion-exchange unit may be adapted to extract at least one of lithium, magnesium, or strontium from the pre-treated midstream-liquid resource. Embodiments may also include a sorbent bed.

[0027] In some embodiments, the sorbent bed may be adapted to extract at least one of lithium, rare earth elements (REEs), or aluminum from the pre-treated midstream-liquid resource. Embodiments may also include a membrane-filtration system. In some embodiments, the membrane-filtration system may be adapted to extract a critical metal from the pre-treated midstream-liquid resource.

[0028] Embodiments may also include an electrochemical extraction system. In some embodiments, the electrochemical extraction system may be adapted to extract at least one of zinc, copper, or lithium from the pre-treated midstream-liquid resource. Embodiments may also include a resin. In some embodiments, the resin may be adapted to extract at least one of lithium, potassium, or magnesium from the pre-treated midstream-liquid resource.

[0029] In some embodiments, the material-retention system of the critical-material- extraction (CME) system may include at least one of a coagulant dispenser, a flocculant dispenser, or an electrocoagulant dispenser. In some embodiments, the material-retention system may include a chemi cal -removal system, the chemical-removal system including at least one of a media-filtration unit. In some embodiments, the media-filtration unit applies a treatment regimen to the pre-treated midstream-liquid resource to remove at least one of the dispensed flocculants or coagulants and their byproducts from the pre-treated midstreamliquid resource.

[0030] In some embodiments, the sand-filtration system applies a treatment to the pretreated midstream liquid resource to remove the dispensed flocculants and flocculant byproducts from the pre-treated midstream-liquid resource. Embodiments may also include an ultrafiltration system. In some embodiments, the ultrafiltration system applies a treatment regimen to the pre-treated midstream-liquid resource to remove electrocoagulants and electrocoagulant byproducts from the pre-treated midstream-liquid resource.

[0031] In some embodiments, the biocide may be at least one of a hydrogen peroxide, ozone, bubbled oxygen, nanobubbled oxygen, aeration, chlorine, chlorine dioxide, sodium hypochlorite, peracetic acid, potassium permanganate, or calcium hypochlorite.

[0032] In some embodiments, the biocide may be at least one of Glutaraldehyde, Quaternary Ammonium Compounds (QUATs), 2.2-Dibromo-3-nitrilopropionamide (DBNPA), Tetrakis(hydroxymethyl)phosphonium sulfate (THPS), isothiazolinones, formaldehyde, bromine, iodine, copper sulfate, or chlorhexidine.

[0033] In some embodiments, the flocculant may be at least one of a polyacrylamide, polyethyleneimine, Polyacrylamide (PAM), Polyamines, PolyDADMAC (Poly diallyldimethylammonium chloride). Starch-based flocculants, or Chitosan.

[0034] In some embodiments, the coagulator may be at least one of a polyaluminum chloride, aluminochlorohydrate, Polyaluminum Chloride (PAC), Aluminochlorohydrate, Aluminum Sulfate (Alum), Ferric Chloride, Ferric Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Sodium Aluminate, or Calcium Hydroxide (Lime).

[0035] In some embodiments, the surfactant may be at least one of Ethoxylated nonylphenols, linear alkylbenzene sulfonates, alkyl sulfates, alkyl poly glucosides, sodium lauryl ether sulfate, sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate, alkylphenol ethoxylates, amine ethoxylates, betaines, or quaternary ammonium compounds.

[0036] Embodiments of the present disclosure may also include a lithium product including a lithium-rich solution with a low total-dissolved-solids (TDS) content, producedby a process including receiving a midstream-liquid resource. In some embodiments, the midstream-liquid resource may include an initial TDS value, an initial lithium concentration, or at least one of coagulants, surfactants, flocculants, or hydrocarbons.

[0037] Embodiments may also include applying a pre-treatment to the liquid resource to remove at least one of coagulants, surfactants, flocculants, or hydrocarbons, thereby reducing the initial TDS value to a first treated TDS value thereby producing a pre-treated liquid resource. Embodiments may also include reducing the initial lithium concentration of the pretreated liquid resource by performing a direct-lithium-extraction (DLE) step to the pretreatment liquid resource using at least one of an ion exchange or sorbent.. Embodiments may also include performing a post-elution rinse and concentrating the initial lithium concentration to a lithium-cycle concentration between 100-500 ppm per cycle, thereby forming the lithium product.

[0038] In some embodiments, the lithium-rich solution may be at least one of a lithium chloride (LiCl) in solution, lithium carbonate (Li2CCh) in solution, or lithium hydroxide (LiOH) in solution. In some embodiments, the lithium-rich solution may be lithium chloride (LiCl) in solution or lithium sulfate (LiaSCL) in solution. In some embodiments, the midstream-liquid resource has an initial TDS content range minimum of 1,230 and a maximum of 377,000 and at least one of Lithium, Rare Earth Elements (REEs), Iodine, Bromine. Magnesium, Calcium, Boron, Strontium, Potassium, Barium, Cesium, Rubidium, Germanium, Gallium, Tungsten. Vanadium. Cobalt, Nickel, Zinc, Manganese, Selenium, or a Platinum Group Metal.

[0039] In some embodiments, the midstream-liquid resource has an initial TDS content range minimum of 5.241 and a maximum of 366,666 and at least one of Lithium. Rare Earth Elements (REEs), Iodine, Bromine, Magnesium, Calcium, Boron, Strontium. Potassium. Barium, Cesium, Rubidium, Germanium, Gallium, Tungsten, Vanadium, Cobalt, Nickel, Zinc, Manganese, Selenium, or a Platinum Group Metal.

[0040] In some embodiments, the midstream-liquid resource has an initial TDS content range minimum of 60,950 and a maximum of 248,000 and at least one of Lithium, Rare Earth Elements (REEs), Iodine, Bromine, Magnesium, Calcium, Boron, Strontium. Potassium. Barium, Cesium, Rubidium, Germanium, Gallium, Tungsten, Vanadium, Cobalt, Nickel, Zinc, Manganese, Selenium, or a Platinum Group Metal.

[0041] In some embodiments, the midstream-liquid resource has an initial TDS content range minimum of 82,430 and a maximum of 184,622 and at least one of Lithium, Rare Earth Elements (REEs), Iodine, Bromine, Magnesium, Calcium, Boron, Strontium, Potassium,Barium, Cesium, Rubidium, Germanium, Gallium, Tungsten, Vanadium, Cobalt, Nickel, Zinc. Manganese, Selenium, or a Platinum Group Metal.

[0042] In some embodiments, the midstream-liquid resource has an initial TDS content range minimum of 60,000 and a maximum of 300,000 and at least one of Lithium, Rare Earth Elements (REEs), Iodine, Bromine, Magnesium, Calcium, Boron, Strontium, Potassium, Barium, Cesium. Rubidium, Germanium, Gallium, Tungsten, Vanadium. Cobalt. Nickel, Zinc. Manganese, Selenium, or a Platinum Group Metal.

[0043] In some embodiments, the midstream-liquid resource has an initial TDS content range minimum of 2,000 and a maximum of 140,000 and at least one of Lithium, Rare Earth Elements (REEs), Iodine, Bromine, Magnesium, Calcium, Boron, Strontium, Potassium, Barium, Cesium. Rubidium, Germanium, Gallium, Tungsten. Vanadium. Cobalt. Nickel, Zinc, Manganese, Selenium, or a Platinum Group Metal.

[0044] In some embodiments, the midstream-liquid resource has an initial TDS content range minimum of 120,000 and a maximum of 180,000 and at least one of Lithium, Rare Earth Elements (REEs), Iodine, Bromine, Magnesium, Calcium, Boron, Strontium, Potassium. Barium, Cesium. Rubidium. Germanium, Gallium, Tungsten. Vanadium. Cobalt. Nickel, Zinc, Manganese, Selenium, or a Platinum Group Metal.

[0045] In some embodiments, the received midstream-liquid resource may include a critical metal. In some embodiments, the critical metal may be Aluminum, Antimony, Arsenic, Barite, Barium. Beryllium, Bismuth, Boron, Calcium, Cesium, Chromium, Cobalt, Fluorspar, Gallium, Germanium, Graphite (natural). Hafnium, Iodine, Indium, Lithium, Magnesium, Manganese, Nickel, Niobium, Platinum Group Metals, Potassium, Rare Earth Elements, Rhenium, Rubidium, Scandium, Selenium, Strontium, Tantalum, Tellurium, Tin, Titanium, Tungsten, Vanadium, Zinc, or Zirconium.

[0046] In some embodiments, the initial lithium concentration may be less than 200 ppm and the initial TDS value may be between 50 and 250,000 TDS. Embodiments may also include receiving a midstream-liquid resource and injecting an oxidizing agent. In some embodiments, the oxidizing agent results in an Oxidation-Reduction Potential (ORP) indicative of a bacteria-free midstream-liquid resource.

[0047] Embodiments may also include injecting an oxidizing agent, which may include injecting at least one of sodium hypochlorite, hydrogen peroxide, Chlorine Dioxide (CIO2), Potassium Permanganate (KMnO4), Chlorine, or ozone. In some embodiments, the Oxidation-Reduction Potential (ORP) indicative of the bacteria-free midstream-liquid resource may be at least +200 millivolts (mV).

[0048] Embodiments may also include applying a pre-treatment to the liquid resource may include flowing the liquid resource through a filter. In some embodiments, the filter may include at least one of a media bed, ion-exchange process, or a membrane. In some embodiments, the media bed may include one or more natural materials, synthetic materials, activated glass, or inactivated glass. In some embodiments, the natural materials may include granulated active carbon.

[0049] Embodiments of the present disclosure may also include reacting lithium ions of the lithium-rich solution with carbonate ions to form lithium carbonate (Li2COa) and at least one of Lithium, Rare Earth Elements (REEs), Iodine, Bromine, Magnesium, Calcium, Boron, Strontium, Potassium, Barium, Cesium, Rubidium, Germanium, Gallium, Tungsten, Vanadium. Cobalt. Nickel. Zinc. Manganese, Selenium, or a Platinum Group Metal.

[0050] Embodiments of the present disclosure provide methods for enhancing or enhancing the extraction of lithium from a midstream liquid resource. In one embodiment, a volume of a midstream liquid resource is received from a pipeline, tank, or disposal site. The midstream liquid resource undergoes pre-treatment, which includes applying a biocide to the volume of the midstream liquid resource. The treatment regimen applied to the pre-treated fluid involves removing hydrocarbons, organic matter, hydrogen sulfide, ions, or suspended solids, or performing critical-material extraction.

[0051] In some embodiments, the biocide applied to the midstream liquid resource comprises at least one of an oxidizer, glutaraldehyde, Quaternary Ammonium Compounds (QUATs), DBNPA (2,2-Dibromo-3-nitrilopropionamide), or THPS.(Tetrakis(hydroxymethyl)phosphonium sulfate). Further embodiments include applying an oxidizer such as hydrogen peroxide, ozone, bubbled oxygen, nanobubbled oxygen, carbon dioxide (CO2). aeration, chlorine, chlorine dioxide, sodium hypochlorite, peracetic acid, potassium permanganate, or calcium hypochlorite to the midstream liquid resource.

[0052] In another embodiment, the treatment regimen to the pre-treated fluid comprises applying at least one of media filtration, cartridge filters, bag filters, disc filters, membrane filtration, activated carbon, dissolved air flotation (DAF), suspended air flotation (SAF), or a weir tank. Removing hydrocarbons, organic matter, ions, or suspended solids may involve applying at least one of a polyacrylamide (PAM), polyethyleneimine, polyamines, polyDADMAC (poly diallyldimethylammonium chloride), starch-based flocculants, chitosan, or other organic or inorganic flocculants. Precipitated, emulsified, or flocculated solids are removed using media filtration, cartridge filters, bag filters, disc filters, membrane filtration, activated carbon, DAF, SAF, a weir tank, or a settling tank.

[0053] In further embodiments, pre-treating a volume of a midstream liquid resource includes separating the resource into a retentate and a filtrate. The filtrate has a turbidity of less than 20 Nephelometric Turbidity Units (NTU), Total Suspended Solids (TSS) of less than 200 milligrams / Liter (mg / L), a positive Oxidation-Reduction Potential (ORP), or an iron content of less than 5 mg / L. Additionally, pre-treating may involve altering the cationic or anionic constituency using a media bed, ion-exchange process, or ceramic / polymeric membrane filtration. Pretreating also may include creating a retentate through a desalination process, or concentrating the resource to a higher level of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) using a membrane or thermal evaporation.

[0054] In another embodiment, applying a treatment regimen to a liquid resource comprises using at least one biocide, including hydrogen peroxide, ozone, bubbled oxygen, nanobubbled oxygen, CO2, aeration, chlorine, chlorine dioxide, sodium hypochlorite, peracetic acid, potassium permanganate, calcium hypochlorite, glutaraldehyde, QUATs, DBNPA, or THPS. The treatment regimen may also include a flocculant such as polyacrylamide, polyethyleneimine, PAM, polyamines, polyDADMAC, starch-based flocculants, or chitosan; a coagulant such as polyaluminum chloride, aluminochlorohydrate, PAC, aluminum sulfate, ferric chloride, ferric sulfate, ferrous sulfate, sodium aluminate, or calcium hydroxide; and a surfactant like polyethylene glycols, alcohol ethoxylates, linear alkyl ethoxylates, sodium dodecyl sulfate, sodium lauryl sulfate, octylphenol ethoxylates, nonylphenol ethoxylates, alkyl polyglycosides, cocamidopropyl betaine, saponins, glycolipids, or rhamnolipids. Additionally, the treatment regimen can include a natural or synthetic ion-exchange media such as zeolite, manganese greensand, synthetic resins, natural clay minerals, functionalized silica, or carbon-based ion exchangers.

[0055] Further embodiments involve applying a treatment regimen to the pre-treated fluid to remove remaining hydrocarbons, treatment chemicals from prior treatment steps, organics, hydrogen sulfide, suspended solids down to one (1) micron, additional flocculant solids down to one (1) micron, cationic content, or anionic content. Removing suspended or flocculated particles may involve using DAF, SAF, a weir tank, media bed. membrane, centrifuge, clarifier, or hydrocyclone.

[0056] In another embodiment, performing critical material extraction includes ion exchange, absorption, membrane-based separation, solvent extraction, electrochemical extraction, selective precipitation, or a hybrid process combining tw o or more of these methods. Critical material extraction may involve exposing the pre-treated fluid to a sorbent composition for a contact time, wherein the sorbent composition is one or more of a lithiummanganese oxide (LMO), a lithium manganese oxide (LMO)-type lithium ion-sieve (LIS), a titanate sorbent, or an aluminate sorbent. After the contact time elapses, the liquid is removed from the sorbent composition, which is then rinsed with a reagent to produce a lithium eluate. The initial lithium concentration of the lithium eluate is concentrated to a lithium cycle concentration between 100 - 500 parts-per-million (ppm) per cycle, forming a metal-rich product in solution.

[0057] In yet another embodiment, a method includes receiving a volume of a pretreated midstream liquid resource from a pipeline, tank, midstream recycling facility, or desalination site, where the resource has been treated with a chemical-treatment regimen. The method involves removing at least one chemical treatment from the chemical-treatment regimen, applying a treatment to the pre-treated fluid, removing hydrocarbons, organic matter, hydrogen sulfide, ions, or suspended solids, or performing critical-material extraction.

[0058] Further embodiments describe a system for enhancing or enhancing the extraction of lithium from a midstream-liquid resource. The system comprises a pre-treatment station to receive a volume of a midstream-liquid resource, pre-treat the volume, or separate it into a retentate and a filtrate. A filtration station receives the pre-treated fluid to remove impurities, or a direct-lithium-extraction (DLE) unit mixes the pre-treated fluid containing lithium with a sorbent composition, applies a rinse to the sorbent composition, or uses a reagent to produce a lithium product in solution. In some embodiments, the system also may include a reverseosmosis station to increase the concentration of lithium within the lithium product in solution.

[0059] In some embodiments, a method is provided for pretreating a midstream-liquid resource to enhance or to optimize lithium extraction. The method includes receiving a volume of midstream-liquid resource from a pipeline or disposal site. This liquid resource typically has a turbidity of at least 100 Nephelometric Turbidity Units (NTU), Total Suspended Solids (TSS) of at least 100 mg / L, or may contain a negative Oxidation-Reduction Potential (ORP) or an iron content greater than 5 mg / L.

[0060] In some embodiments, the method further includes pre-treating the volume of the midstream-liquid resource by separating it into a retentate and a filtrate. The filtrate, now a pre-treated fluid, achieves a turbidity of less than 20 NTU, TSS of less than 200 mg / L. a positive ORP, or an iron content of less than 5 mg / L.

[0061] In some embodiments, the pre-treated fluid undergoes further treatment to remove hydrocarbons, organic matter, ions, or suspended solutions, or to perform critical-material extraction. This treatment ensures the fluid is suitable for lithium-extraction processes.

[0062] In some embodiments, pre-treating the midstream-liquid resource involves applying an oxidizer and removing a flocculant. The oxidizer can include agents such as hydrogen peroxide, ozone, bubbled oxygen, nanobubbled oxygen, carbon dioxide (CO2), aeration, chlorine, chlorine dioxide, sodium hypochlorite, peracetic acid, potassium permanganate, or calcium hypochlorite. Flocculants such as polyacrylamide, polyethyleneimine, Polyacrylamide (PAM), Polyamines, PolyDADMAC(Poly diallyldimethylammonium chloride). Starch-based flocculants, or Chitosan are removed using filtration methods like sand filtration, multimedia filtration, cartridge filters, bag filters, disc filters, membrane filtration (microfiltration, ultrafiltration), or activated carbon.

[0063] In some embodiments, the method also addresses the removal of iron from the midstream-liquid resource. Techniques include adding an oxidizing agent to convert soluble iron (Fe2+) to precipitate insoluble iron (Fe3+) and applying filters to remove the precipitated iron. Other methods involve using ion-exchange resins, adsorbing iron ions with activated carbon filtration, or applying ultrafiltration or reverse osmosis.

[0064] In some embodiments, hydrogen-sulfide (FLS) removal from the midstream-liquid resource is another aspect of the pre-treatment. This involves oxidizing the liquid resource to convert ILS to elemental sulfur or sulfate, applying activated-carbon filtration to adsorb ILS, or using iron-based adsorbents or iron-sponge systems.

[0065] In some embodiments, further treatment of the pre-treated fluid includes applying various filtration methods such as media beds, bag filtration, sand media, ceramic filtration, ceramic ultrafiltration, ceramic nanofiltration, divalent filtration systems, membrane filtration systems, tubular-membrane filtration, spiral-wound-membrane filtration, or flat-sheet- membrane filtration.

[0066] In some embodiments, the removal of hydrocarbons, organic matter, ions, or suspended solutions from the pre-treated fluid is achieved using dissolved-air flotation (DAF), suspended-air flotation (SAF), weir tanks, media beds, membranes, centrifuges, clarifiers, or hydrocyclones.

[0067] In some embodiments, critical-material extraction from the pre-treated fluid is performed using techniques such as ion exchange, absorption, membrane-based separation, solvent extraction, electrochemical extraction, selective precipitation, or hybrid processes combining two or more of these methods.

[0068] In some embodiments, exposing the pre-treated fluid to a sorbent composition for a contact time is included. The sorbent composition may include lithium manganese oxide (LMO), lithium-manganese-oxide (LMO)-type lithium ion-sieve (LIS), titanate sorbent, oraluminate sorbent. After the contact time, the liquid is removed from the sorbent, or the sorbent is rinsed with a reagent to produce at least one lithium eluate.

[0069] In some embodiments, the method also includes concentrating the initial lithium concentration of the lithium eluate to a lithium-cycle concentration between 100-500 ppm per cycle, thereby forming a lithium product in solution.

[0070] In some embodiments, a method for enhancing or enhancing lithium extraction from a pretreated volume of a midstream-liquid resource is provided. The method involves receiving the pretreated fluid from a midstream recycling facility or desalination site, or removing, from the pretreated fluid, hydrocarbons, organic matter, ions, or suspended solutions. The pretreated fluid is then exposed to a sorbent composition, or after a contact time, the liquid is removed, or the sorbent is rinsed with a reagent to produce lithium eluate.

[0071] In some embodiments, the pre-treated fluid undergoes polishing to remove remaining hydrocarbons, treatment chemicals, organics, suspended solids down to one (1) micron, additional flocculant solids down to one (1) micron, cationic content, or anionic content.

[0072] Embodiments also include a system for enhancing or enhancing lithium extraction from a midstream-liquid resource. The system comprises a pre-treatment station to receive and pre-treat the liquid resource, a filtration station to receive and further purify the pretreated fluid, or a direct-lithium-extraction (DLE) unit to perform lithium extraction.

[0073] In some embodiments, the DLE unit includes a tank for mixing the pre-treated fluid with a sorbent composition for a contact time, a rinse station, or a reagent station. The metal of interest, such as lithium, is retained within the sorbent composition, vacates the pretreated fluid after the contact time, or is subsequently rinsed to form a metal product in solution. A reverse-osmosis station may be included to concentrate the metal product further.

[0074] The DLE unit includes a tank for mixing the pre-treated fluid with a sorbent composition for a contact time, a rinse station, or a reagent station. The metal of interest, such as lithium, is retained within the sorbent composition, vacates the pre-treated fluid after the contact time, or is subsequently rinsed to form a metal product in solution. A reverse-osmosis station may be included to concentrate the metal product further.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0075] FIG. 1 is a flow chart illustrating a method for reducing a concentration of at least one metal, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0076] FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a method for enhancing or optimizing extraction of lithium, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0077] FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating the method for extracting a metal from a midstream liquid resource according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0078] FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a method for enhancing or optimizing extraction of lithium, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0079] FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a system for enhancing or optimizing extraction of a metal, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0080] FIG. 6 is a block diagram further illustrating the system according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0081] FIG. 7 is a block diagram further illustrating the system and aspects of the treatment station, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0082] FIG. 8 is a block diagram further illustrating the system and aspects of the critical- metal-extraction (CME) system, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0083] "Fluid oil and gas waste" refers to waste containing salt or other mineralized substances, brine, hydraulic-fracturing fluid, flowback water, produced water, or other fluid that arises out of or is incidental to the drilling for or production of oil or gas. Midstreamliquid resources, such as produced water, play a crucial role in the ecosystem of direct lithium extraction (DLE). As a byproduct of oil and gas extraction, produced water and its management are essential for both environmental and operational efficiency.

[0084] Produced water is generally defined as any water produced concurrently with the production of oil and gas hydrocarbons from underground reservoirs or subterranean flows, including, but not limited to, naturally occurring formation water, flowback water, recycled water, or water injected into reservoirs during hydraulic fracturing or other injection methods. While produced water has been provided as an example application within the present disclosure, the present disclosure is broadly applicable to any subsurface fluid containing a metal. Non-limiting examples of subsurface fluid containing a metal include brines produced from hydrocarbon reservoirs exclusively for metal extraction or as a secondary application (e.g, extracting a metal from a geothermal brine). In some embodiments, the present disclosure may be utilized to extract a metal or metals of interest from a recycle pit or other holding tank or pond on the surface.

[0085] Midstream treatment facilities, including pipeline access points, disposal sites, midstream recycling plants, or desalination plants, play roles in processing produced water.

[0086] When produced water reaches the surface, it often contains a wide array of chemicals and substances. Some chemicals are native to the subsurface formation, while others are introduced during the oil and gas extraction process, while more are added to maintain infrastructure and support transport in pipeline infrastructure. Additional chemicals and treatment regimens are applied to the produced water to remove hydrocarbons, organic matter, hydrogen sulfide, ions, or suspended solids. The chemical and physical property requirements of produced water vary along the life cycle of the produced water. For exemplary purposes, the standard of treatment of produced water ranges from no more treatment than the application of a biocide, while other treatments may apply more complex treatment regimens to remove toxins, heavy metals, or dissolved solids from produced water.

[0087] In some embodiments, the pre-treated midstream liquid resource may initially have an Oxidation-Reduction Potential (ORP) of approximately 100 mV. Following the application of a second treatment regimen, which may include the introduction of a biocide, the ORP can increase to values as high as 650 mV. ORP values ranging from 0 mV to 650 mV indicate an oxidative environment. Such positive ORP values are generally recognized as sufficient to inhibit microbial grow th, thereby rendering the pre-treated midstream liquid resource biologically inactive. Applying a second treatment regimen to the pre-treated midstream liquid resource having an ORP value of 200 mV may increase the ORP up to 450 mV. Such an increase may be desirable to inhibit microbial growth.

[0088] The vary ing quality of produced w ater complicates valuable midstream treatments like Direct Lithium Extraction whose performance can be reduced by the contents of a midstream-liquid resource. To further illustrate the varying quality of produced water, consider the following:Pipeline

[0089] Produced w ater finds its way to midstream sites as a midstream-liquid resource through a w ell-coordinated network of pipelines and transportation logistics. Midstreamliquid resources are extracted with hydrocarbons and are separated from the oil and gas at the wellhead. The initial separation process may involve basic treatment to remove free oil and large particulates. At the surface, additional chemical treatments can be added to the midstream-liquid resource. Examples of treatments include chelating agents, frictionreducers, corrosion inhibitors, scale inhibitors, demulsifies, paraffin inhibitors, hydrate inhibitors, pH adjusters, biocides, coagulants, flocculants, surfactants, or anti-foaming agents.

[0090] These individual treatments and combinations of individual treatments used in midstream-liquid-resource treatment regimens can pose several challenges for the extraction of critical metals, such as lithium in Direct Lithium Extraction. Non-limiting examples of treatments used in a midstream-liquid resource can significantly impact the performance of sorbents, ion-exchange resins, or lithium-selective membranes used in direct-metal-extraction processes like direct-lithium-extraction (DLE) processes. These impacts may manifest through fouling, chemical interactions, or degradation of materials.

[0091] For example, chelating agents, such as EDTA, are introduced to bind metal ions and prevent scale formation. However, these agents also can bind to essential ions used in sorbents and resins, reducing their capacity to selectively capture lithium ions. For lithiumselective membranes, chelating agents can form stable complexes that clog membrane pores, reducing permeability7and selectivity7. In some embodiments, when the metal-extraction system is an electrochemical Direct-Lithium-Extraction (DLE) system, chelating agents can bind to lithium ions, forming complexes that reduce the availability of free lithium for extraction. This binding can decrease the efficiency of the electrochemical process, as the system relies on the selective movement of lithium ions. In some embodiments, chelating agents may compete with other metal ions in the solution, potentially altering the effectiveness of membranes and electrodes and reducing lithium-recovery rates. These agents also can interact with the materials used in the system, causing fouling or degradation, which can decrease the overall efficiency and lifespan of the equipment.

[0092] When friction reducers like polyacrylamides (PAM) are present in a midstream liquid resource, they can impact significantly the performance of these membrane systems. PAM and similar polymers can adhere to the membrane surface, forming a coating that blocks pores, leading to fouling. This fouling increases the pressure drop across the membrane, requiring more energy to maintain flow rates and ultimately reducing the efficiency of the filtration process. In lithium-selective membranes, such as those used in DLE systems, this fouling can be particularly detrimental as it diminishes the selective permeability of the membrane, reducing lithium-recovery rates. Additionally, these friction reducers can coat sorbents and resins used in ion-exchange processes, decreasing their effectiveness, and can interfere with electrochemical DLE processes by altering the conductivity and flow characteristics of the treated fluids. The presence of friction reducerslike PAM in low ppm concentrations is challenging to detect, further complicating the maintenance and enhancement or optimization of these sensitive systems.

[0093] Friction reducers, typically polyacrylamides (PAM), are used to minimize resistance within pipeline systems. These polymers can form coatings on sorbents and resins, leading to fouling and decreased efficiency. For example, when these polymers adhere to lithium-selective membranes, they block pores and increase pressure drops, thereby diminishing the membrane's performance. This issue is not limited to lithium-selective membranes; non-selective membranes, such as ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, and microfiltration membranes, also can be impacted. These membranes are often used in pretreatment and filtration processes to remove suspended solids, organic matter, and other impurities before the fluid reaches more-sensitive stages of processing. Regardless of the membrane's selectivity, friction reducers can greatly reduce overall system efficiency by causing membrane fouling, leading to increased maintenance and operational costs. While friction reducers like PAM have substantial negative impacts on sensitive DLE systems, they can be difficult to detect, and even when present, ppm concentrations of friction reducers are challenging to determine.

[0094] Corrosion inhibitors, such as phosphonates, protect metal surfaces from corrosion. However, they can deposit on sorbents and resins, leading to fouling. On lithium-selective membranes, these inhibitors can form protective films that block ion-transport channels, reducing the membrane's effectiveness in lithium separation. Scale inhibitors, like phosphonates and polyacrylates, prevent scale formation but can interact negatively with sorbents and resins by forming precipitates that block active sites. Regarding lithiumselective membranes, these inhibitors can deposit and cause scaling, which reduces membrane efficiency, increases downtime and further contributes to costly maintenance requirements.

[0095] Demulsifiers break emulsions into separate oil and water phases. They can introduce organic contaminants that adsorb onto sorbents and resins, causing fouling and reducing their ion-exchange capacities. These organic contaminants can also form fouling layers on lithium-selective membranes, impairing their function. Paraffin inhibitors prevent paraffin deposition but can adhere to sorbents and resins, causing fouling. On lithiumselective membranes, these inhibitors can coat the surface, reducing permeability and selectivity' by blocking the pores essential for lithium-ion transport. Hydrate inhibitors, such as methanol, can introduce organic loads into produced water, leading to fouling of sorbents and resins. These organic compounds can also cause fouling on lithium-selective membranes,reducing their efficiency and lifespan. pH adjusters, such as sodium hydroxide and sulfuric acid, are used to control the pH levels of produced water. Extreme pH conditions can degrade the materials of sorbents and resins, reducing their capacity and effectiveness. For lithiumselective membranes, both highly acidic (pHs below 3) and highly basic conditions can hydrolyze the membrane material, leading to structural damage and reduced performance.

[0096] Biocides, for example oxidizers like chlorine and hydrogen peroxide, are used to disinfect produced water. Oxidizers may attack the polymeric material of lithium-selective membranes, leading to loss of selectivity and increased degradation rates. Coagulants, such as aluminum sulfate, are used to aggregate fine particles into larger ones for easier removal. These coagulants can form precipitates on sorbents and resins, blocking active sites and reducing capacity. On lithium-selective membranes, coagulated particles can clog the pores, reducing permeability and increasing operational costs.

[0097] Several flocculants may be present in a midstream-liquid-resource system. Nonlimiting examples of flocculants include Polyacry lamide (PAM), Polyethyleneimine (PEI), PolyDADMAC (Poly diallyldimethylammonium chloride), Polyamines, starch-based flocculants, Chitosan, Alum (Aluminum Sulfate). Ferric Chloride, Ferric Sulfate, or Calcium Hydroxide (Lime). Flocculants, like polyacrylamides, aggregate suspended particles. They7can create large flocculant aggregates that block the pores of sorbents and resins, leading to fouling. Similarly, these aggregates can block the pores of lithium-selective membranes, reducing their selectivity and effectiveness. Flocculants can impact Direct Metal Extraction (DME) systems, particularly those involving sorbents, ion-exchange resins, and membranes. In systems utilizing sorbents, flocculants may cause the aggregation of suspended solids, leading to fouling or clogging of the sorbent materials, thereby reducing their efficiency in selectively adsorbing lithium ions. For ion-exchange resins, flocculants can interfere by binding with other ions or organic materials, which binding can decrease the resin’s capacity7for lithium exchange and hinder overall system performance. When it comes to membranes, including lithium-selective and other ty pes, flocculants can cause fouling that obstructs the flow of liquids through the membrane, reducing its effectiveness and potentially leading to increased maintenance needs and operational costs. In electrochemical DLE systems, the presence of flocculants can further exacerbate these issues by interfering with the selective transport of lithium ions, diminishing recovery7rates, and requiring more-frequent cleaning or replacement of membrane and electrochemical components. This combined impact can significantly reduce the operational efficiency and economic viability of the DLE process.

[0098] Surfactants, such as sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), reduce surface tension and emulsify oils. Non-limiting examples of surfactants include the surfactant is at least one of polyethylene glycols (PEGs), alcohol ethoxylates, linear alkyl ethoxylates (LAEs), sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), octylphenol ethoxylates (OPEOs), nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEOs), alkyl polyglycosides (APGs), cocamidopropyl betaine, saponins, glycolipids, or rhamnolipids. Surfactants within a midstream fluid can form micelles that adhere to sorbents and resins, causing fouling and reducing ion exchange capacities. On lithium-selective membranes, surfactants can form micelles that block pores and reduce membrane efficiency. Non-limiting examples of surfactants include but are not limited to polyethylene glycols (PEGs), alcohol ethoxylates, linear alkyl ethoxylates (LAEs), sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS). octylphenol ethoxylates (OPEOs), nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEOs), alkyd polyglycosides (APGs), cocamidopropyl betaine, saponins, glycolipids, or rhamnolipids.

[0099] Anti-foaming agents, often silicone-based, are used to reduce foam formation. These agents can introduce hydrophobic substances that foul sorbents and resins, reducing their effectiveness. On lithium-selective membranes, these hydrophobic layers can block pores, leading to decreased permeability and increased maintenance needs.Midstream Treatment Process

[0100] Following this, the midstream-liquid resource is transported via pipelines to centralized midstream facilities for further treatment. In some cases, tanker trucks are used, especially when pipelines are not feasible. These midstream sites, including disposal facilities, transfer facilities, treatment plants, storage tanks and ponds, recycling facilities, or desalination plants, are strategically located to handle large volumes of produced water efficiently. Sometimes these locations are equipped with advanced technologies to treat the water, removing contaminants and extract valuable metals, like lithium. This system can ensure that produced water is managed effectively, minimizing environmental impact and enabling resource recovery.

[0101] The midstream-liquid resource may contain a complex mixture of organic and inorganic substances, some of which include:

[0102] Salts: High levels of total dissolved solids (TDS) ranging from 50,000 to over 250,000 ppm. Non-limiting examples of inorganic substances associated with salt, include sodium chloride (NaCl), which is commonly present as table salt in significant quantities, calcium sulfate (CaSO-i). also known as g psum, which can precipitate and cause scaling,magnesium chloride (MgCb), which contributes to the hardness of water and scaling potential, or bicarbonates (HCOs). which can also contribute to scaling issues.

[0103] Flocculants: Used in various stages of water treatment to aggregate and remove suspended particles from the liquid resource. These chemicals aid in the coagulation and flocculation processes, where small particles are bound together to form larger aggregates that can be more easily removed by mechanical-filtration techniques. Non-limiting examples of flocculants that may be present in the midstream-liquid resource include polyacrylamide (PAM), polyethyleneimine, polyamines, polyDADMAC (poly diallyldimethylammonium chloride), starch-based flocculants, or chitosan. The presence of flocculants is critical for effective separation and treatment processes but can pose challenges in downstream processing, particularly in sensitive operations like critical-material extraction, where they can interfere with sorbents, ion-exchange resins, or membranes.

[0104] Metals: Trace amounts of metals are often found in produced water. While some are desirable, like lithium, which can be concentrated through advanced processing, others, like iron, are removed to support further processing or beneficial reuse.

[0105] Hydrocarbons: Residual oil and grease from the oil-and-gas extraction process.

[0106] Chemicals: Additives such as flocculants and surfactants used in drilling and hydraulic-fracturing operations may be present in the midstream-liquid resource. In primary recovery, chemicals like demulsifiers are used to break emulsions formed between oil and water. During secondary recovery, water flooding can introduce scale inhibitors and corrosion inhibitors to protect equipment and pipelines. In tertiary recovery, also known as enhanced oil recovery (EOR), a variety of chemicals may be introduced, including surfactants, polymers, or alkaline agents to reduce interfacial tension and increase oil mobility. These chemicals can be broadly categorized into organic, inorganic, and biological classes, each with distinct roles and effects on the recovery process. For instance, surfactants (organic compounds) are used to reduce the interfacial tension between oil and w ater, facilitating the movement of oil through the reservoir. Polymers, often organic, are injected to increase the viscosity of the displacing water, improving its ability to push oil towards production wells. Alkaline agents. A pically inorganic, are used to react with acidic components in the crude oil, generating in-situ surfactants that further aid in oil recovery.

[0107] Additionally, carbon dioxide (CO2) and steam injection, common EOR methods, may leave residual chemicals that affect water chemistry'. Paraffin inhibitors are often used throughout these processes to prevent wax deposition, which can clog pipelines and equipment. Biological EOR methods, such as microbial-enhanced oil recovery (MEOR),introduce specific strains of bacteria to metabolize heavy hydrocarbons or generate gas, aiding in the displacement of oil. These treatments, while performing essential functions, often result in trace compounds remaining in midstream-liquid resources that, when subjected to traditional disposal methods, can persist at levels that significantly impact the effectiveness of critical-metal-extraction systems. These chemicals, along with residuals from earlier stages, contribute to the complexity of treating and processing the midstream-liquid resource.

[0108] Chemical treatments such as oxidizers, including chlorine dioxide and sodium hypochlorite, are frequently used to break down organic contaminants and neutralize hazardous compounds, leaving byproducts such as chlorinated organic compounds. Coagulants and flocculants, applied to aggregate and remove suspended solids, may result in residual flocculated particles that require further filtration. Biocides, applied to control microbial grow th, can leave byproducts such as dead biomass and organic residuals that may contribute to biofouling in subsequent processing stages. Additionally, bioremediation efforts using bacteria or enzy mes to degrade hydrocarbons may produce metabolic byproducts like organic acids and gases, further complicating the treatment of the midstream-liquid resource. These chemicals and their byproducts contribute to the complexity of treating and processing the midstream-liquid resource.

[0109] Biocides and Corrosion Inhibitors: Used to prevent microbial growth and equipment degradation.

[0110] Other Contaminants: After pre-treatment, the midstream-liquid resource may still contain a variety7of chemicals and compounds. These can include suspended solids, such as fine particulate matter that was not fully removed during the initial filtration steps. Iron is often present as both dissolved and particulate forms, which can contribute to scaling and corrosion if not adequately treated. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S), a toxic and corrosive gas, may remain in the liquid and pose safety and handling challenges. Additionally, residual chemicals from earlier stages of treatment, such as biocides, corrosion inhibitors, and friction reducers, can persist in the midstream-liquid resource. Trace amounts of scale inhibitors, demulsifiers, paraffin inhibitors, and pH adjusters also may be present, each contributing to the complexity of further treatment and extraction processes. These residual contaminants ty pically must be carefully7managed to ensure the effectiveness of subsequent processing steps, such as critical-material extraction. (H2S).

[0111] Water Quality: Total Dissolved Solids (TDS)

[0112] The Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) content in midstream-liquid resources can vary significantly between different geological formations and even within the lifecycle of a well.For illustrative purposes, the midstream-liquid resource may be further characterized by one or more water-quality metrics. Non-limiting examples of water-quality metrics in some embodiments include turbidity. Total Suspended Solids (TSS), Oxidation-Reduction Potential (ORP), and the midstream-liquid resource may be characterized by the presence of heavy metals, like iron, and compounds like H2S in mg / L. For example, a turbidity level of at least 100 Nephelometric Turbidity Units (NTU), a Total Suspended Solids (TSS) of at least 100 mg / L and at least one of a negative Oxidation-Reduction Potential (ORP) to up to +200mV, and an iron content greater than 5mg / L may be used to characterize midstream-liquid resource. The following ranges are provided by United States Geology Survey (USGS) resources available at the time of filing and demonstrate the variability in ways midstreamliquid resources are described:

[0113] Smackover Formation: In the Smackover formation, the TDS content in midstream-liquid resources has been observed to range from a minimum of 1,230 mg / L to a maximum of 377,000 mg / L. This substantial range indicates the highly variable nature of water quality in this formation.

[0114] Cotton Valley Formation: For the Cotton Valley formation, the TDS content ranges from a minimum of 5,241 mg / L to a maximum of 366,666 mg / L. This wide range reflects the diverse conditions and compositions encountered in different parts of the formation.

[0115] Wolfcamp Formation: The Wolfcamp formation exhibits a TDS range from 60,950 mg / L to 248,000 mg / L. Additionally, there is data indicating that TDS levels can vary within the same well, with some batches testing as low as 2,000 mg / L and as high as 140,000 mg / L in other instances. All references to the geochemical insights and related data provided herein incorporate by reference, in their entirety, the contents of the article titled 'Geochemical insights from formation waters produced from Wolfcampian and Leonardian intervals of the Midland Basin, Texas, USA, ' located at

[0116] Spraberry Formation: In the Spraberry formation, TDS levels range from 82,430 mg / L to 184.622 mg / L. This range highlights the varying water quality that can be expected from different extraction points within the formation.

[0117] Bone Spring Formation: The Bone Spring formation shows a TDS range from 60,000 mg / L to 300,000 mg / L. Similar to other formations, this range indicates substantial variability in water composition, affecting the treatment processes.

[0118] The Haynesville Shale formation is known for its significant variability in Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) concentrations, which range from approximately 5,000 ppm to 250,000 ppm. This broad range in TDS is indicative of the formation's complex geology and the varying water chemistry encountered at different depths and locations within the formation, as w ell as different time periods during the life of the well. Such variability can pose challenges for water management and treatment strategies, particularly in operations that involve hydraulic fracturing or water recycling. The presence of high TDS levels often necessitates advanced water treatment processes to remove salts and other dissolved solids to make the w ater suitable for reuse or safe disposal. In its entirety, the disclosure of the article 'Water Resources and Water Management in the Haynesville Shale' from the GoHaynesvilleShale website, accessible at GoHaynesvilleShaie, is incorporated herein by reference.

[0119] As an example of how TDS may vary at depth, consider the Eagle Ford formation, where in contrast to Spraberry-Wolfcamp, TDS levels show' a reversal of total dissolved solids with depth. Eagle Ford levels range from 18,000-200,000 TDS. In its entirety, the disclosure of 'Salinity Reversal and Water Freshening in the Eagle Ford Shale. Texas, USA,' authored by Peter L. Knappett, et al., and published in ACS Earth and Space Chemistry, Vol. 2, No. 9, Pages 872-883, DOI: 10.1021 / acsearthspacechem.8b00095, is incorporated herein by reference.

[0120] The Bakken formation exhibits Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) up to 275,160 ppm. These high TDS values indicate the significant presence of dissolved salts and other minerals in the formation's w ater, w hich reflects the deep and ancient nature of the reservoir. Managing and treating such high-TDS w ater is challenging, often requiring advanced water management techniques to make the water usable for various industrial purposes or safe for disposal.

[0121] The Barnett Shale, another prominent formation, displays an even broader TDS range, from 170,070 ppm to 295,280 ppm. This substantial variability in TDS levels across the Barnett formation highlights the diverse geochemical conditions present within the formation. Similar to the Bakken, the high TDS levels in the Barnett Shale necessitate specialized w ater treatment strategies to handle the concentrated levels of dissolved minerals, ensuring that the water can be reused or disposed of appropriately.

[0122] These ranges illustrate the challenges faced in treating midstream-liquid resource from different formations. Even within a single well, the TDS as well as other water-quality metrics can fluctuate greatly, often necessitating robust and adaptable treatment processes tohandle the variability in water quality. Such variations underscore the importance of continuous monitoring and tailored treatment strategies to enhance or optimize resource extraction and environmental management. But these ranges also fail to point out the chemical treatments and other treatments one may expect in the midstream sites. Nonlimiting examples of locations for midstream-liquid resource sites include pipelines, which transport midstream-liquid resource from extraction sites to treatment facilities; disposal sites, designated for the safe disposal of wastewater through deep-well injection; midstream treatment plants, where contaminants such as hydrocarbons and dissolved salts are removed; midstream recycling plants, which treat midstream-liquid resource for reuse in oil & gas applications and desalination plants, which remove high concentrations of dissolved salts to make the water suitable for reuse or discharge.

[0123] While formations have traditionally been characterized by their Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) values, other physical characterizations of midstream-liquid resources may also be crucial in developing effective pre-treatment regimens. Non-limiting examples of such characterizations include pH, which measures the acidity or alkalini ty of the liquid and can influence the solubility of metals and the effectiveness of chemical treatments; turbidity, indicating the presence of suspended particles in the water, which can affect filtration and separation processes; oxidation-reduction potential (ORP), reflecting the liquid's abi 1 i ty to either gain or lose electrons, impacting the selection of oxidation or reduction treatments; iron content, which measures the concentration of dissolved iron that can precipitate and cause scaling; biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), which gauges the amount of oxygen required to break dow n organic matter, indicating the level of organic pollution; and sulfide concentration, which determines the presence of hydrogen sulfide, a toxic and corrosive compound requiring specific removal strategies. These examples are provided for illustrative purposes, and other measurements may also be employed to directly or indirectly develop and monitor pre-treatment regimens.

[0124] FIG. 1 is an exemplary system 100 configured to extract a desired metal from a volume of midstream-liquid resource, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. For a discussion of direct-lithium-extraction systems, see Putro. Cahyo & Anderson, Corby, (2022), INVESTIGATION OF FACTORS AFFECTING DIRECT LITHIUM EXTRACTION WITH ION EXCHANGE, which is hereby incorporated by reference. The system 100 depicts four phases that may be implemented to extract a metal from midstream-liquid resource. The first step, the metal-extraction step 110. may include receiving midstream-liquid resource 102 into the system 100.

[0125] Receiving the midstream-liquid resource 102 may include moving the midstreamliquid resource from a storage station (e.g, a pond or tank), a shipping container, or a well using a gravity feed, a pump system, or siphon mechanism to a batch- or continuous- processing system 100. Alternatively, in some embodiments, receiving the midstream-liquid resource 102 may include receiving the midstream-liquid resource from a transportation vehicle (e.g, a trailer, a tanker, a rail car). In some embodiments receiving the midstreamliquid resource 102 may include receiving the midstream-liquid resource from a fixed assembly, such as a pipeline. In some embodiments, the midstream-liquid resource 102 is infused with nanobubbles, which can support the removal of oil, flocculants, hydrogen sulfide, solid iron precipitants, and the like present in the midstream-liquid resource.

[0126] Receiving a midstream-liquid resource 102 at a treatment station 101 involves several processes that can be critical to enhance or optimize the extraction of lithium and other valuable materials. At a treatment station, for example pipelines, tanks, or disposal sites, a treatment or treatment regimen may be applied to the midstream-liquid resource 102. For illustrative purposes, a treatment may refer to the application of a single chemical, mechanical, biological, or thermal treatment. In instances in which a treatment is applied multiple times, for example based on a schedule of alternating volumes of midstream-liquid resource 102, or combining multiple treatment types, the terms pre-treatment and treatment regimens are used.

[0127] Receiving a midstream-liquid resource 102 at a treatment station 101 involves several critical processes to enhance or optimize the extraction of lithium and other valuable materials. At a treatment station, for example pipelines, tanks, or disposal sites, a treatment or treatment regimen may be applied to the midstream-liquid resource 102. For illustrative purposes, a treatment may refer to the application of a single chemical, mechanical, biological, or thermal treatment. In instances in which a treatment is applied multiple times, for example based on a schedule of alternating volumes of midstream-liquid resource 102, or combining multiple treatment types, the terms pre-treatment and treatment regimens are used.

[0128] FIG. 2 is a flowchart that describes a method for enhancing or optimizing extraction of lithium from a midstream-liquid resource, according to some embodiments of the system of FIG. 1 of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, at 210, the method may include receiving a volume of a midstream-liquid resource (e.g, wastewater) from a pipeline, tank, or disposal site. Non-limiting examples of exemplary pre-treatments and locations where the pre-treatments may be applied are provided according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0129] PRE-TREATMENT

[0130] When the treatment station 101 is a pipeline, non-limiting examples of common pre-treatments and treatment regimens applied and chemical present within the midstreamliquid resource 102 may include:

[0131] Biocides: Used to control microbial grow th and prevent biofouling within the pipeline. Examples include oxidizers, glutaraldehyde, quaternary ammonium compounds (QUATs), DBNPA (2.2-Dibromo-3-nitrilopropionamide), and THPS (Tetrakis (hydroxymethyl) phosphonium sulfate).

[0132] Friction Reducers: Applied to reduce friction between the fluid and the pipeline walls, enhancing flow efficiency. Friction reducers are often added during hydraulic- fracturing operations or in the operations of midstream-water pipelines.

[0133] Corrosion Inhibitors: May be essential for protecting the metal surfaces of the pipeline from corrosion caused by the saline and acidic nature of produced w ater. Examples of corrosion inhibitors include amines, phosphate esters, and imidazolines.

[0134] Scale Inhibitors: Used to prevent the formation of mineral scales that can clog and damage the pipeline. Examples of scale inhibitors include phosphonates and polyacrylates.When the treatment station 101 is a tank, non-limiting examples of common pre-treatments and treatment regimens may include:

[0135] Biocides: Similar to pipeline treatments, biocides are used to control microbial growth in storage tanks to prevent biofouling and maintain water quality during storage.

[0136] Demulsifiers: Applied to separate oil and water phases in the stored produced water. Demulsifiers help in enhancing the separation efficiency before further treatment.

[0137] Paraffin Inhibitors: Used to prevent the deposition of paraffin waxes that can restrict fluid flow and reduce efficiency in storage tanks.

[0138] Hydrate Inhibitors: Applied to prevent the formation of gas hydrates, which can obstruct flow- and damage equipment in storage conditions.

[0139] When the treatment station 101 (FIG. 1) is a disposal site, non-limiting examples of common pre-treatments and treatment regimens may include the following:

[0140] pH Adjusters: Used to maintain improved or optimal pH levels, facilitating or ensuring the effectiveness of other chemical treatments and protecting equipment from corrosion and scaling.

[0141] Oxidizers: Applied to oxidize contaminants like hydrogen sulfide and organic matter, improving water quality and reducing odors. Non-limiting examples include but are not limited to hydrogen peroxide, ozone, bubbled oxygen, nanobubbled oxygen, aeration.chlorine, chlorine dioxide, sodium hypochlorite, peracetic acid, potassium permanganate, or calcium hypochlorite.

[0142] Coagulants and Flocculants: Used to aggregate suspended particles, making them easier to remove during filtration processes at disposal sites. Examples of coagulants and flocculants include polyaluminum chloride, aluminochlorohydrate, polyDADMAC, or starch- based flocculants.

[0143] Surfactants: Applied to reduce surface tension and improve the efficiency of separation processes, enhancing the removal of oils and organic matter.

[0144] When the treatment station 101 (FIG. 1) is a midstream recycling facility, nonlimiting examples of common pre-treatments and treatment regimens may include the following:

[0145] Biocides: May be essential for maintaining water quality by controlling microbial growth during the recycling process.

[0146] Flocculants: Flocculants are commonly used to promote the aggregation of suspended particles in produced water and other wastewater midstream liquids, facilitating the separation of solids from liquids in various stages of the oil and gas production process. Non-limiting examples include Polyacrylamides (PAM), Polyethyleneimine (PEI), PolyDADMAC (Polydiallyldimethylammonium chloride), Polyamines, Chitosan, Starchbased flocculants, Ferric chloride, Aluminum sulfate (alum), Ferric sulfate. Calcium hydroxide (lime).

[0147] Filtration Systems: Including media filtration, cartridge filters, bag filters, disc filters, membrane filtration, activated carbon, weir tank, settling tanks, dissolved-air flotation (DAF), and suspended-air flotation (SAF). These systems can be used to remove suspended solids, hydrocarbons, and other contaminants.

[0148] Desalination Processes: Used to concentrate the total dissolved solids (TDS) through membrane- or thermal-evaporation processes, making the water suitable for reuse.

[0149] Ion-Exchange Processes: Applied to alter the cationic or anionic constituency of the water, enhancing the removal of specific ions and improving water quality for reuse of the water.

[0150] When the treatment station 101 (FIG. 1) is a desalination plant, non-limiting examples of common pre-treatments and treatment regimens may include the following:

[0151] Pre-treatment Filtration: Using sand filters, media filters, or membrane filtration to remove suspended solids and other large particulates before desalination.

[0152] Scale and Corrosion Inhibitors: Used to protect the desalination equipment from scaling and corrosion caused by the high salinity of produced water.

[0153] Anti-foaming Agents: Applied to control foam formation during the desalination process, ensuring smooth operation and preventing overflow or damage to equipment.

[0154] Polishing Filtration: Used after desalination to further remove any remaining impurities, ensuring high-quality water output. This can include reverse osmosis and nanofiltration.

[0155] These treatments and regimens ensure the efficient and effective processing of produced water, generally improving water uality and protecting infrastructure throughout the oil and gas industry. In some embodiments the midstream-liquid resource comprises a turbidity of at least 100 Nephelometric Turbidity Units (NTU), a Total Suspended Solids (TSS) of at least 100 mg / L and at least one of a negative Oxidation-Reduction Potential (ORP) to up to +200mV or an iron content greater than 5mg / L. The pre-treatment of the received 210 midstream liquid may minimize the quantity of TSS overall. In some embodiments applying a treatment regimen may result in a pre-treated fluid with a turbidity of less than 20 Nephelometric Turbidity Units (NTU), Total Suspended Solids (TSS) of less than 200 mg / L, a positive Oxidation-Reduction Potential (ORP), and an iron content of less than 5 mg / L.

[0156] Still referring to FIG. 2, at 220, the method may include applying a treatment regimen to the pre-treated fluid. In some embodiments, the method of applying a treatment regimen to the pre-treated fluid at 220 involves multiple stages aimed at enhancing the quality and suitability of the midstream-liquid resource for further processing, particularly for lithium extraction 240. This step 220 may involve removing contaminants and impurities that can affect the efficiency of the direct-lithium-extraction (DLE) process.

[0157] Applying a treatment to the pre-treated fluid at 220 may remove residual pretreatment chemicals, their byproducts, and other remaining compounds in the midstreamliquid resource. This step may involve the removal of substances such as chelating agents, friction reducers, corrosion inhibitors, scale inhibitors, demulsifiers, paraffin inhibitors, hydrate inhibitors, pH adjusters, oxidizers, coagulants, flocculants, surfactants, and antifoaming agents. In some embodiments, eliminating these chemicals and their byproducts prevents them from interfering with subsequent treatment stages and the direct-lithium- extraction process 240. The presence of these compounds may negatively impact the efficiency of ion-exchange resins and lithium-selective membranes by causing fouling, scaling, or chemical degradation. Additionally, removing these substances may ensurecompliance with environmental regulations and minimize potential harm to downstream ecosystems. This thorough purification may enhance the quality and consistency of the fluid, enhancing or optimizing the conditions for lithium recovery 240.

[0158] In some embodiments, the treatment regimen 220 may include the removal of undesirable constituents, non-limiting examples of which include hydrocarbons, organic matter, heavy metals, hydrogen sulfide, pre-treatment chemicals, and pre-treatment chemical byproducts. While these examples have been provided in a list, it will be recognized that not all elements will be present at all steps within the midstream system. In some embodiments, removal of undesirable elements may be achieved through a combination of chemical oxidation, biological treatment, and activated carbon filtration.

[0159] In some embodiments, the treatment regimen 220 may include the removal of undesirable constituents, non-limiting examples of which include hydrocarbons, organic matter, heavy metals, hydrogen sulfide, pre-treatment chemicals, or pre-treatment chemical byproducts. While these examples have been provided in a list, it will be recognized that not all elements will be present at all steps within the midstream system. In some embodiments, removal of undesirable elements may be achieved through a combination or subcombmation of chemical oxidation, biological treatment, and activated carbon filtration.

[0160] According to some embodiments, following the removal of organic contaminants and hydrocarbons, eliminating ions and suspended solids may be desirable within a treatment regimen 220. Flocculation and coagulation processes could introduce chemical coagulants (e.g., alum, ferric chloride) and flocculants (e.g, polyacrylamide, polyDADMAC) to aggregate suspended particles into larger flocs, facilitating their removal. Various filtration techniques, including media filtration with sand, anthracite, or other granular media, may be used to capture suspended solids. Membrane filtration techniques such as microfiltration, ultrafiltration, and nanofiltration might remove fine particulates and dissolved substances, including ions. Dissolved-air flotation (DAF) and suspended-air flotation (SAF) processes could inject air bubbles into the fluid, which attach to suspended particles, causing them to float to the surface for removal within a treatment regimen 220.

[0161] To control microbial growth and prevent biofouling during subsequent processing stages, biocides may be applied. Oxidizers might act as biocides, and additional biocides such as glutaraldehyde and quaternary ammonium compounds (QUATs) could be effective in eliminating a wide range of microorganisms. DBNPA and THPS are sometimes selected for their effectiveness in not only killing bacteria but also assisting with the removal of iron and other metals.

[0162] Adjustments to the chemical composition of the pre-treated fluid may be necessary’ to enhance or optimize conditions for lithium extraction 240. pH adjusters such as lime or sodium hydroxide might be used to maintain an enhanced or the optimal pH level for subsequent treatment processes. Ion-exchange processes, utilizing ion-exchange resins or media such as zeolite and synthetic resins, could selectively remove undesirable ions and replace them with more favorable ions.

[0163] A final polishing step may be implemented according to some embodiments as part of a pre-treatment regimen 220, a treatment regimen 230, or following lithium extraction 240. When part of a pre-treatment 220 or treatment regimen 230, the pre-treated fluid meets all quality' requirements before entering the direct-lithium-extraction process. High-efficiency polishing filters, including media beds, cartridge filters and disc filters used individually or in combination, may remove any remaining particulates down to one (1) micron. In some embodiments, polishing may be accomplished using media beds. Reverse-osmosis processes might further concentrate the lithium content while removing residual dissolved solids and contaminants, producing high-purity water and a lithium-enriched concentrate.

[0164] This treatment regimen can remedy challenges introduced using traditional pretreatment methods. By removing contaminants that interfere with the direct-metal extraction, like DLE 240, the efficiency and yield of lithium extraction can be enhanced. The removal of corrosive substances, scaling agents, or biofouling organisms may prolong the lifespan and operational reliability of the extraction equipment. Furthermore, the treatment processes 230 ensure that the wastewater discharged meets or possibly exceeds environmental regulations, minimizing environmental impact.

[0165] At 230, the method may include removing hydrocarbons, organic matter, hydrogen sulfide, ions, or suspended solids. The treatment regimen 230 may involve several processes and enhancements depending on the specific contaminants and the desired purity' levels. Common pre-treatments include applying oxidizers, flocculants, coagulants, and surfactants to improve the separation efficiency of the subsequent treatments.

[0166] In some embodiments, oxidizers such as hydrogen peroxide, ozone, bubbled oxygen, nanobubbled oxygen, carbon dioxide (CO2), aeration, chlorine, chlorine dioxide, sodium hypochlorite, peracetic acid, potassium permanganate, or calcium hypochlorite may be applied. These oxidizers can help break dow n complex organic compounds and reduce the biological load in the midstream-liquid resource. Flocculants, which may include polyacrylamide, polyethyleneimine, polyDADMAC (polydiallyldimethylammoniumchloride), starch-based flocculants, or chitosan, are used to aggregate smaller particles into larger ones, making them easier to remove through filtration or flotation processes.

[0167] Coagulants such as polyaluminum chloride, aluminochlorohydrate, Polyaluminum Chloride (PAC), Aluminum Sulfate (Alum), Ferric Chloride, Ferric Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Sodium Aluminate, or Calcium Hydroxide (Lime) may be employed to destabilize and bind suspended particles, facilitating their removal. Surfactants like polyethylene glycols (PEGs), alcohol ethoxylates, linear alkyl ethoxylates (LAEs), sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), octylphenol ethoxylates (OPEOs), nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEOs), alkyd polyglycosides (APGs), cocamidopropyl betaine, saponins, glycolipids, or rhamnolipids may be used to alter the surface tension of the liquid, improving the separation of oil and water phases and enhancing the overall treatment efficiency.

[0168] The treatment regimen 230 may occur in various locations. Non-limiting examples of equipment may include dissolved-air flotation (DAF) units, suspended-air flotation (SAF) units, media-filtration systems, cartridge filters, bag filters, disc filters, membrane-filtration systems, activated-carbon units, and weir tanks. Each of these treatment locations plays a specific role in removing different types of contaminants. For example. DAF and SAF units are particularly effective in removing suspended solids and oils, while media filtration and membrane filtration systems may be used to capture finer particles and dissolved contaminants.

[0169] In some embodiments, the treatment regimen 230 may split the midstream-liquid resource into a retentate and a filtrate. The retentate may contain concentrated impurities such as hydrocarbons, organic matter, or suspended solids, while the filtrate represents the purified liquid with significantly reduced levels of contaminants. Examples of retentate include sludge, concentrated brine, or other waste products, whereas filtrate may consist of clear w ater with reduced turbidity and lower concentrations of dissolved solids.

[0170] Once the treatment regimen 230 has been completed, the further purified midstream-liquid resource, or filtrate, may be passed to a critical-material extraction 240. This step ensures that the liquid resource is adequately prepared for the selective recovery of valuable materials, such as lithium, from the purified stream. By effectively removing pretreatment chemicals, their by-products, and other contaminants, the treatment regimen enhances the efficiency and efficacy of the critical-material extraction process, leading to higher yields and purer end products such as metal -rich products in solution.

[0171] FIG. 2 is a flowchart that describes the method, according to some embodiments depicted in FIG. 1 of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, at 210, the method mayinclude applying at least one of media filtration, cartridge filters, bag filters, disc filters, membrane filtration, activated carbon, dissolved air flotation (DAF), suspended air flotation (SAF), or a weir tank. At 220, the method may include removing precipitated emulsified or flocculated solids using media filtration, cartridge filters, bag filters, disc filters, membrane filtration, activated carbon, dissolved air flotation (DAF), suspended air flotation (SAF), a weir tank, or a settling tank.

[0172] In some embodiments, applying a treatment regimen to the pre-treated fluid further comprises at least one of, the method may include 210 to 220. Removing hydrocarbons, organic matter, ions, or suspended solids further comprises applying at least one of a polyacrylamide (PAM), polyethyleneimine, poly amines, polyDADMAC (poly diallyldimethylammonium chloride), starch-based flocculants, chitosan, or another organic or inorganic flocculants.

[0173] In some embodiments, the treatment regimen at 230 may involve additional steps to ensure the thorough removal of contaminants and enhance the efficiency of the subsequent lithium extraction process. The treatment locations for these regimens may include dissolved air flotation (DAF) units, suspended air flotation (SAF) units, media filtration systems, cartridge filters, bag filters, disc filters, membrane filtration systems, activated carbon units, or weir tanks. Each of these locations plays a specific role in addressing different ty pes of contaminants present in the pre-treated fluid.

[0174] For instance, oxidizers such as hydrogen peroxide, ozone, and chlorine dioxide may be applied to break down organic compounds and reduce biological loads. Flocculants like polyacrylamide and chitosan may be used to aggregate fine particles, making them easier to remove through filtration. Coagulants such as polyaluminum chloride and ferric chloride may help destabilize suspended particles, facilitating their removal. Surfactants like sodium dodecyl sulfate and nonylphenol ethoxylates may alter the surface tension, improving oilwater separation.

[0175] The treatment regimen at 230 may also involve splitting the midstream-liquid resource into a retentate and a filtrate. The retentate typically contains concentrated impurities, such as hydrocarbons, organic matter, and suspended solids, while the filtrate typically represents the purified liquid. This separation may be achieved through processes like membrane filtration, centrifugation, or the use of weir tanks. The retentate may include materials like sludge or concentrated brine, which require proper disposal or further treatment. The filtrate, on the other hand, is further purified and may be passed to critical material extraction at 240, where valuable elements like lithium are selectively recovered.

[0176] At 240, the method may include performing critical material extraction. In some embodiments, once the treatment regimen at 230 has been completed, the further purified midstream liquid resource, or filtrate, may be passed to critical material extraction at 240. This step ensures that the liquid resource is adequately prepared for the selective recovery of valuable materials, such as lithium, from the purified stream. By effectively removing pretreatment chemicals, their by-products, and other contaminants, the treatment regimen enhances the efficiency and efficacy of the critical material extraction process, leading to higher yields and purer end products.

[0177] FIG. 3 is a flowchart that describes the method, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, at 310, the method may include exposing the pre-treated fluid to a sorbent composition for a contact time. At 320, the method may include removing a liquid from the sorbent composition after the contact time elapses. At 330, the method may include rinsing the sorbent composition with a reagent to produce at least one lithium eluate. Performing critical material extraction further comprises steps 310 to 330.

[0178] In some embodiments, the sorbent composition may be one or more of a lithium manganese oxide (LMO), a lithium manganese oxide (LMO)-type lithium ion-sieve (LIS), a titanate sorbent, an aluminate sorbent. Rinsing the sorbent composition further comprises concentrating an initial lithium concentration of the at least one lithium eluate to a lithium cycle concentration between 100-500 ppm per cycle, thereby forming a lithium product in solution.

[0179] At 310, the method may include exposing the pre-treated fluid to a sorbent composition for a specified contact time. In some embodiments, the pre-treated fluid, having undergone initial treatments to remove hydrocarbons, organic matter, hydrogen sulfide, ions, and suspended solids, is now prepared for critical material extraction. The sorbent composition used in this step may be selected based on its affinity for lithium and may include one or more of lithium manganese oxide (LMO), lithium manganese oxide (LMO)- type lithium ion-sieve (LIS), titanate sorbent, and aluminate sorbent. The contact time is essential to ensure that lithium ions in the pre-treated fluid are effectively captured by the sorbent composition. The duration of the contact time may vary depending on factors such as the concentration of lithium in the fluid, the type and capacity of the sorbent used, and the desired efficiency of the extraction process.

[0180] At 320, the method may include removing the liquid from the sorbent composition after the contact time elapses. This step involves separating the now lithium-enriched sorbent from the remaining fluid. The separation process may employ various techniques such asfiltration, centrifugation, or decantation, ensuring that the sorbent, now containing the absorbed lithium ions, is efficiently isolated from the residual liquid. The removed liquid, which is now depleted of a significant portion of its lithium content, may undergo further processing or disposal depending on its composition and any remaining contaminants.

[0181] At 330, the method may include rinsing the sorbent composition with a reagent to produce at least one lithium eluate. This step can be crucial for recovering lithium from the sorbent. The rinsing process involves applying a reagent, which may be an acidic or basic solution, including acid or water, to desorb or exchange the lithium ions from the lithium- laden sorbent. The reagent serves to desorb the lithium ions from the sorbent, effectively transferring them into a solution known as the lithium eluate. In some embodiments, the reagent composition and the rinsing conditions are carefully controlled to maximize the concentration of lithium in the eluate. For illustrative purposes, in some embodiments the system may be modified to work with different types of sorbents. In some embodiments, the sorbent may be an aluminate sorbent, wherein the rinsing process involves applying a reagent such as fresh water, to desorb or exchange the lithium ions from the lithium-laden sorbent. In other embodiments, the sorbent may be an ion-exchange material such as a titanium-based, manganese-based, or polymer-based ion-exchange material. When using an ion-exchange material, the rinsing process involves applying a reagent, which may be an acidic or basic solution, including acid, to desorb or exchange the lithium ions from the lithium-laden sorbent. In either embodiment, the reagent serves to desorb the lithium ions from the sorbent, effectively transferring them into a solution known as the lithium eluate. In some embodiments, the reagent composition and the rinsing conditions are carefully controlled to increase or maximize the concentration of lithium in the eluate (e g., reduce or minimize dilution by increasing or maximizing desorbing the lithium ions from the sorbent). For an aluminate sorbent, it may be desirable to use a higher pH solution or modify the contact time to increase the likelihood of or ensure efficient lithium desorption, given the sorbent's affinity for lithium under certain chemical conditions. These illustrative adjustments help maintain the efficacy of the process and increase the likelihood of, or ensure, a high recovery rate of lithium from the sorbent.

[0182] Estimating the concentration of lithium in the eluate during direct lithium extraction (DLE) can be challenging due to several influencing factors. When rinsing the sorbent composition with a reagent to produce a lithium eluate 330. the concentration of lithium in the resulting solution is subject to variability introduced by numerous variables. These include:

[0183] Initial PPM of Pre-Treated Fluid: The concentration of lithium in the pre-treated fluid is a key starting point. Higher initial lithium concentrations generally yield higher eluate concentrations, assuming consistent processing conditions.

[0184] Absorption Capacity of the Sorbent Composition: The sorbent's ability to hold lithium ions affects how much lithium can be extracted and ultimately desorbed into the eluate. Sorbents with higher capacity will typically result in a higher concentration of lithium in the eluate.

[0185] Volume of the Sorbent Composition: The total volume of sorbent available for lithium absorption can influence the overall effectiveness of the extraction process. Larger sorbent volumes can handle greater amounts of pre-treated fluid, potentially leading to higher lithium recovery, but the eluate concentration may vary depending on the distribution of lithium across the sorbent material.

[0186] Contact Time at 310: The duration of exposure between the pre-treated fluid and the sorbent impacts how much lithium is absorbed. Insufficient contact time may lead to lower lithium absorption and thus lower eluate concentrations, while extended contact time can enhance lithium uptake but may also introduce diminishing returns.

[0187] Volume of the Rinsing Agent at 330: The amount of rinsing agent used to desorb lithium from the sorbent directly affects the final concentration of lithium in the eluate. Larger volumes of rinsing agent can dilute the lithium concentration, while smaller volumes can lead to a more concentrated eluate, albeit with the risk of incomplete desorption.

[0188] Effectiveness of the Rinsing Agent at 330: The chemical composition and strength of the rinsing agent play a significant role in determining how much lithium is effectively desorbed from the sorbent. Stronger acids or optimized reagents may yield higher lithium concentrations by more effectively releasing the absorbed ions, whereas weaker or less effective rinsing agents may result in lower concentrations.

[0189] These variables interact in complex ways that influences lithium concentration in the eluate. Nonetheless, for illustrative purposes, the process of concentrating the eluate maybe repeated across one or more cycles to concentrate the lithium eluate to a desired level by performing reverse osmosis. A non-limiting example of a concentrating treatment may concentrate the lithium ppm from between 100 and 500 ppm per cycle, thereby7forming a lithium product in solution that is ready for further purification or use. In some embodiments, it may be desirable to concentrate the lithium product ppm to a concentration of 10,000 ppm by repeating one or more cycles to concentrate the lithium eluate.

[0190] Returning to FIG. 1, removing oil and other chemicals may increase the period during which a sorbent composition, such as a spinel, can directly extract a desired metal in the metal-extraction step 110. The system 100 may be configured to process a volume of a midstream-liquid resource measured in various volumes and may accommodate a variety of concentrations of metal. Accommodating a variety' of concentrations of metals may be necessary’ when extracting metal from the midstream-liquid resource, as the concentrations of metal fluctuate, sometimes predictably, over the life of a well. In some embodiments, the system may pre-process or otherwise pretreat the midstream-liquid resource 102 prior to the metal-extraction step 110. While midstream-liquid resource has been provided as one nonlimiting example, the aforementioned principles are applicable to subsurface brines and liquid resources. In some embodiments of the continuous-processing system 100. the liquid resource may be a natural brine, a dissolved salt flat, seawater, concentrated seawater, a desalination effluent, a concentrated brine, a processed brine, an oilfield brine, a liquid from an ion-exchange process, a liquid from a solvent-extraction process, a synthetic brine, a leachate from an ore or combination of ores, a leachate from a mineral or combination of minerals, a leachate from a clay or combination of clays, a leachate from recycled products, a leachate from recycled materials, or combinations thereof.

[0191] In some embodiments, the metal-extraction step 110 is aided by the use of a sorbent composition capable of extracting metals, for example metals in ionic form within the midstream-liquid resource. In some embodiments, a sorbent composition, for example an LMO sorbent greater than 100 microns, may be scaled up to accommodate volumes of produced wastewater over 10,000 barrels. While the present example details the use of a sorbent composition, smaller format sorbents, doped sorbents, undoped sorbents, coated sorbents, uncoated sorbents, or combinations thereof may be used to adsorb a desired metal from the metal containing fluid. Sorbent compositions may process more than 33,122 liters per contact with a thirty-minute contact time. Contact time may be varied depending upon the amount of desired metal to be extracted. The amount of desired metal may be arrived at using various methods, for example by the desired mass of recovered metal or as measured in the reduction of the concentration of the desired metal from the metal-containing fluid (e.g. a brine). Contact time may also be influenced by the extraction technology used.

[0192] The metal extraction step 110 may use technology alternatives outside of format compositions (e.g., LMO sorbents) such as Electrochemical Extraction. Ionic Liquid Extraction. Membrane Technologies, Solvent Extraction, and Precipitation and Cry stallization w here the use of nanobubbles in these systems may aid the metal-extractionprocess. While several technologies have been discussed, different types of metal-producing waters and metals sought for extraction may necessitate the use of one or more of the aforementioned technologies. The system 100 may use batch-processing or continuous- processing techniques to run as many as 48 contacts prior to exhausting the sorbent composition. In some embodiments, the contact time may be tuned to account for the initial concentration of metal within the midstream-liquid resource 102 to increase the likelihood of or ensure sufficient contact with the sorbent composition, e.g, an ion-exchange media, to remove the desired volume (or other unites such as mass) of metal from the midstream-liquid resource. To perform the metal-extraction step 110, the system 100 may be configured with a monitoring system 104 to monitor the change of metal concentration. The monitoring system 104 may be equipped with a CPU. peripheral devices such as a temperature sensor, a pH sensor, or sensors of other chemical-properties-and-contents sensors that may be used to characterize the contents and nature of the midstream-liquid resource. In some embodiments, the monitoring system 104 may monitor the duration of the contact time, the contact time, the volume of midstream-liquid resource in the system, the count of elapsed contact times, the status of equipment (e.g., the health of equipment, a maintenance status, the active or inactive status of equipment), and visual and / or audible indicators to alert a user to act. The CPU may be connected to the internet or a local network to send status updates of the system. For example, as a sorbent composition, for example, a sorbent, approaches the end of its useful life, the CPU of the digital monitoring system may create an alert and transmit the alert to a user interface so the sorbent may be replenished at an appropriate time.

[0193] In some embodiments, the midstream-liquid resource is removed 106 during or after the metal-extraction step 110. In some embodiments, the midstream-liquid resource maybe actively removed using an appropriate mechanism that sequesters the sorbent composition from the midstream-liquid resource. The midstream-liquid resource 106 may also be further processed to extract additional metals in a staged continuous-extraction process. In an alternative embodiment, the midstream-liquid resource may be transferred to another portion of the system 100 adapted to extract a second metal, pollutant, or to administer a treatment prior to returning the midstream-liquid resources for transport to an alternative site.

[0194] In some embodiments, the sorbent composition, laden with the metal, may undergo a rinse step 49. In some embodiments, the rinse step 49 may use a rinsing agent, for example, fresh water, to remove remaining midstream-liquid resources from the sorbent composition. In some embodiments, a fresh-water rinsing agent of three hundred thirty one (331) liters may be used to increase the likelihood of or ensure the sorbent composition issufficiently free of midstream-liquid resources. In some embodiments, the properties of the sorbent composition may be used to separate the sorbent composition from the midstreamliquid resources in the rinse step 49. For example, removing the midstream-liquid resources 106 from the sorbent composition, such as an LMO, may involve applying a magnetic field to use the magnetic properties of the LMO to concentrate the sorbent composition for removal. In some embodiments, the rinsing step 49 may be aided by applying backpressure or a vacuum to the system. While discussed with respect to the rinse step 49, the described techniques may be applied to remove the sorbent composition from midstream-liquid resources, reagents, and any aqueous mediums used in the system 100.

[0195] Upon completion of the rinse 49, the fresh water may be removed and stored in a holding tank 52. In some embodiments, the rinsing agent may be processed to remove pollutants prior to returning the rinsing agent to a holding tank. In some embodiments, the holding tank 52 may be adapted to use back pressure or a vacuum. In some embodiments, the rinsing agent may be transferred to a reverse-osmosis unit 54 to remove the water for storage in a freshwater tank 56. The RO unit reject 57 may be removed from the system 100 in some embodiments. In some embodiments, the system 100 may include monitoring equipment to detect water levels in the freshwater tank 56 and may include a freshwater reservoir source 57 to replenish the freshwater tank 56.

[0196] In some embodiments, the sorbent composition containing the metal of interest is exposed to a reagent 52 in an elution step 50. In some embodiments, the reagent 52 may be an acid, for example, hydrochloric acid (HC1) or sulfuric acid (H2SO4). In an embodiment in which the metal of interest is lithium, exposure of the sorbent composition to the reagent, for example, an acid like HC1, will produce LiCl, allowing the LiCl to be subsequently removed from the sorbent composition. While the synthesis of the metal salt lithium chloride has been provided, the acid may be varied to produce the metal salt of choice. For example, use of sulfuric acid (H2SO4) may be a preferred reagent when the metal salt lithium sulfate (Li2SO4) is desired. Of note, the reagent 132 may be mixed in various concentration levels. Once the metal has reacted with the reagent 132, a rinsing agent 142 may remove the desired metal from the sorbent. In some embodiments, the holding tank 122 may be adapted to use back pressure or a vacuum to support the removal of the desired metal from the sorbent. In some embodiments, the rinsing agent 142 is fresh water. Using fresh water allows the metal in its ionic form to be contained within the water. In some embodiments, the LiCl is concentrated within the rinsing agent.

[0197] In some embodiments, the direct metal-extraction process may continue by further processing the concentrated metal salt 144 created by the reverse-osmosis process 146 into an alternative chemical composition. In some embodiments, the metal salt 144 may be lithium chloride and a processing step 150 may convert the lithium chloride into lithium carbonate. In some embodiments, the processing step 150 may utilize conventional techniques for processing the metal salt to an alternative metal composition. See Canadian patent number CA 3158831 Al. titled “Production of Lithium Hydroxide and Lithium Carbonate’7incorporated in its entirety by reference. Such techniques produce lithium carbonate from lithium chloride, water, and a carbon source. In some embodiments, the carbon source is provided by producing carbon-dioxide nanobubbles in the water.

[0198] In some embodiments, the system 100 may be delivered on site to extract metals in ionic form from a metal-containing fluid (e.g, one or more of a subsurface brine, midstream-liquid resources 102, or liquid resources). In such an embodiment, the system 100 may be placed on an easily shippable skid and placed onsite, allowing for a rapidly deploy able and customizable solution for extracting metals that does not disrupt other onsite operations. In some embodiments, infrastructure, such as piping with optional valves, allow the metal-containing fluid to be received at a first vessel where the metal -extraction step 110 may be performed. When batch processing is used, the first vessel for performing the metalextraction step 110 may include a valve for releasing metal-containing fluid from the first vessel once a cycle time of exposure to the sorbent composition, or conventionally sized sorbent / spinel, and nanobubbles has elapsed. The skid system 100 may also contain a second vessel containing a rinsing agent plumbed to the first vessel for performing the metalextraction step 110.

[0199] Upon releasing the metal-containing fluid from the first vessel, the rinse step 49 may be performed, allowing the fluid to be washed from the large-formation composition, or conventionally sized sorbent / spinel. In some embodiments the skid system 100 may contain a third vessel plumbed to the first vessel for performing the metal extraction 110 and / or rinse step 49. The third vessel may contain a reagent. In some embodiments, the reagent stored within the third vessel is released into the first vessel to release the metal contained within the sorbent composition, or conventionally sized sorbent / spinel into a fluid containing the reagent (e.g, the elution step 50). The skid system 100 may be adapted for continuous or batch processing. In some embodiments, the skid system 100 includes at least plumbing and (sometimes necessary) fluid-storage vessels to complete a metal-extraction step 110. a rinse step 49, and an elution step 50. In some environments, a second rinse step 140 may not beneeded. In some embodiments, the skid system 100 may be adapted with a forward-osmosis system (e.g., when draw solution is plentiful) or a reverse-osmosis system (e.g., when fresh water is more scarce and on-site water recovery is desired to support direct metal extraction or other on-site needs).

[0200] In some embodiments, the skid system 100 may be further adapted to environmental conditions in other ways. For example, additional equipment may be colocated or otherwise installed on the skid to support the rinse step 49. A holding tank 52 maybe connected to a forward-osmosis system or a reverse-osmosis system 146. In some embodiments, the forward-osmosis system or the reverse-osmosis system 146 may be plumbed to a freshwater tank 56. The freshwater tank 56 may be used to support the rinse step 49, and / or optionally provide a water source for a second rinse step 140. In some embodiments, the reverse-osmosis unit 54 may be augmented or replaced with a filtration system (e.g., a nanofiltration system, an ultrafiltration system, or another water-filtration system such as a distillation or deionization system) to clean the rinse of the rinse step 49.

[0201] In some embodiments, the system 100 is augmented or adapted at the reverseosmosis unit 146 with systems for further concentrating the metal-salt eluate 144. While the system 100 is depicted with a reverse-osmosis unit 146, in some embodiments, the reverseosmosis unit may be replaced with or augmented with an industrial evaporator, such as one or more of the Saltworks™ product line of saltmaker evaporators. In an alternative embodiment in which energy sources are not plentiful, further concentrating the metal -containing eluate may be accomplished in an evaporation pond.

[0202] In some embodiments, the skid system 100 may be further adapted with equipment to convert a metal salt to an alternative chemical composition (e.g., lithium chloride to lithium carbonate). In some embodiments, the skid system 100 includes a nanobubbles pump for injecting carbon dioxide into an eluate containing the concentrated metal salt.

[0203] In some embodiments, the sy stem 100 may include valves and equipment capable of being controlled by a monitoring system 104. The monitoring system 104 may contain a CPU having instructions for requesting sensor information collected by peripheral sensors and / or devices connected to the monitoring system 104. In some embodiments, peripheral sensors may be hardwired to the monitoring system 104 or wirelessly connected to the monitoring system 104. In some embodiments, wirelessly connected peripheral sensors and / or devices directly communicate through the wireless network to the monitoring system104 and / or communicate through a network router to a local, remote, or otherwise cloudbased monitoring system 104.

[0204] The monitoring system 104 may track or otherwise sense the chemical properties of the midstream-liquid resources 102, detect the amount of sorbent in the metal-extraction step 110, and / or track the contact time of the midstream-liquid resources 102 with the sorbent. In some embodiments, the sensed information may be used to automatically start pumps or open valves used to remove the midstream-liquid resources 106 (e.g., Produced Water Return). In some embodiments, the monitoring system 104 may selectively control a nanobubbles pump. For example, the nanobubbles pump may be activated, creating gas nanobubbles in the midstream-liquid resources or brine to increase the effectiveness of the sorbent to extract the metal. In some embodiments, the monitoring system 104 may be configured to utilize algorithms capable of improving, even enhancing, the use of nanobubbles for the extraction of the metal.

[0205] In some embodiments, the CPU further contains instructions for initializing the rinse step 49. In some embodiments, the monitoring system 104 may initialize the rinse step 49 upon detecting the removal of the midstream-liquid resources to a midstream-liquid- resources return 106. In an alternative embodiment, the monitoring system 104 may monitor the changing properties of the midstream-liquid resources 102 as the desired metal is extracted. For example, when lithium ions ithin the midstream-liquid resources 102 are sequestered within a sorbent composition, for example a large-format spinel of LMO, the pH of the midstream-liquid resources becomes more acidic as the lithium-ion concentration decreases in the midstream-liquid resources 102. Such a phenomenon, e.g., a changing property of the midstream-liquid resources 102, may be monitored by the monitoring system 104, and upon the changing property’ of the midstream-liquid resources 102 reaching a state indicative of an extraction level of the lithium ion, the midstream-liquid resources may be removed and the rinse step 49 initiated. For example, a volume of midstream-liquid resources containing tw o hundred (200) ppm levels of lithium may have an initial pH of 8.8. Upon reducing the ppm levels of lithium to roughly 13 (thirteen) ppm, the pH may become more acidic achieving a pH of 6. 1. In an alternative embodiment, the monitoring system 104 may contain instructions that when executed by the CPU cause a magnetic field to be applied to a container w here the metal-extraction step 110 has taken place. The activation of a magnetic field benefits from the inherent magnetic properties of certain sorbents and sorbent compositions. For example, the application of the magnetic field may attract a sorbent such asan LMO spinel to aggregate on a surface of the container when the produced water return 106 receives a command / instruction to open.

[0206] In an embodiment in which the system 100 is placed on a mobile skid, the state information related to the metal-extraction step 110, the rinse step 49, and other activities such as the elution step 130, may be transmitted to remote users monitoring the extraction process depicted in FIG. 1.

[0207] In some embodiments, the monitoring system 104 may monitor the quality of the aqueous solution used to perform the rinse step 49. In some embodiments, nanobubble pumps may be activated to aid in a forward-osmosis process or reverse-osmosis process 54. The use of nanobubbles may accelerate the ability to separate the water from other chemicals present as a result of the rinse steps 49 and 140. Similarly, the monitoring system 104 may actively sense the presence of rinsing agents, the quality of the rinsing agents, the presence of the rinsing agents, the chemical composition of the rinsing agents, and the current state of the rinsing agents as indicated by one or more parameters of the rinsing agents such as a temperature, pressure, pH, and the like. Such information may be communicated to a user, for example, over a private local area network (LAN). In some embodiments, the monitoring system 104 may be adapted with an ethemet port, cellular antennae, or other wireless communications equipment for transmitting and receiving status information to local and remote users.

[0208] In some embodiments, the monitoring system may include instructions that when executed cause the release of a reagent 52 to the rinsed sorbent containing the metal of interest. The release may activate or otherwise open a valve separating a reagent tank (not depicted) from a tank where the elution step 50 takes place. In some embodiments, the rinse step 49 and elution step 50 occur in the same tank. The monitoring system 104 may contain sensors able to monitor the molar concentration of the reagent 52. In some embodiments, the system 100 may include multiple reagents tuned to the metal sought to be extracted from the sorbent. In some embodiments, the elution step 52 of the system 100 may be adapted with equipment for producing nanobubbles to speed up or otherwise enhance the elution step 50. In some embodiments, the monitoring system may include instructions that when executed cause the nanobubble equipment to produce nanobubbles of different or varied gas types. In some embodiments, the monitoring system 104 may monitor the effectiveness of the nanobubbles in producing a metal salt, such as lithium chloride.

[0209] In some embodiments, the monitoring system may include instructions that when executed cause the system 100 to conduct a second rinse step 140. The second rinse step 140may be initiated by releasing a rinsing agent 142. In some embodiments, the monitoring system may include instructions that when executed cause the system 100 to release a concentrated metal salt 144 to a reverse-osmosis station 146. At the reverse-osmosis station 146, nanobubbles may be used to enhance the ability of the reverse-osmosis (RO) equipment to recover the reverse-osmosis permeate, and to further concentrate the metal salt.

[0210] In some embodiments, the monitoring system may include instructions that when executed cause the system 100 to process 150 the metal salt 148 into an alternative composition containing the metal. In some embodiments, the system 100 may use conventional techniques, for example converting a concentrated lithium chloride 148 salt to a concentrated lithium carbonate. Conventional techniques generally produce lithium carbonate from lithium chloride, water, and a carbon source. In some embodiments, the carbon source is provided by transmitting a signal to cause nanobubble equipment to produce gas nanobubbles. In some embodiments, the produced gas nanobubbles are of carbon-dioxide gas produced within the water containing the concentrated lithium chloride 148. In some embodiments, the system 100 causes the nanobubble equipment to produce gas nanobubbles into the concentrated lithium chloride 148 without the use of other techniques to produce lithium carbonate.

[0211] In some embodiments the system 100 may be fully automated, semi-autonomous, or manually operated. While the system 100 has been described with use of sorbent compositions for direct metal extraction, the nanobubble system may be applied throughout the metal-extraction process 1 10, the rinse step 49, and the elution step 50 in combination with other conventional direct-metal-extraction techniques. Similarly, several techniques may be used in conjunction with or instead of the aforementioned steps to separate the desired metal from the direct-extraction materials and / or rinsing agent. In some embodiments, the desired metal may be concentrated into the solution using one or more of forward osmosis, reverse osmosis, or selectively permeable membranes.

[0212] The exposure may occur at ambient temperature and ambient pressure. In some embodiments, the contact time allows the sorbent to make sufficient contact with the midstream-liquid resources, allowing the sorbent to sequester the metal from the produced- water volume. The contact time the midstream-liquid resources may be placed in contact with the sorbent may vary' in time based on the reactivity' of the sorbent and the constituents of the fluid. Sorbent compositions in which a metal ion may occupy a space will actively extract the metal faster as the statistical probability of a metal ion encountering an unoccupied space within the sorbent composition, e.g., an unoccupied space within a sorbent such asLil.33Mnl.6704 or Li4Mn5O12, is greatest when clean sorbent composition comes in contact with the metal ion. In some embodiments, the midstream-liquid resources may have a reduced first contact time to quickly extract the desired concentration from the midstreamliquid resources. The midstream-liquid resources may then be transferred to a second station for batch processing where the contact time is fine-tuned to “finish"’ the extraction process.

[0213] When enough time has elapsed for the metal to have been removed from the midstream-liquid resources such that a desired concentration of metal within the midstreamliquid resources has been extracted, at the rinse step 49, the method may include removing the midstream-liquid resources from contact with the sorbent. Once a desired amount of midstream-liquid resources has been removed, at the elution step 50, the method may include rinsing the sorbent. After rinsing the sorbent, at the rinse step 140, the method may include exposing the rinsed sorbent to a reagent to produce at least one metal eluate.

[0214] In some embodiments, exposing the volume of midstream-liquid resources to a sorbent for a contact time 110 may be accomplished by batch processing the volume of midstream-liquid resources with the sorbent for the contact time. In some embodiments, batch processing the volume of midstream-liquid resources with the sorbent for the contact time further comprises mixing the volume of midstream-liquid resources with the sorbent for the contact time. In some embodiments, batch processing the volume of midstream-liquid resources with the sorbent for the contact time further comprises testing a concentration level of the at least one metal. In some embodiments, batch processing may be conducted in industrial equipment. In some embodiments, the equipment may be augmented with agitators and other mixing components and techniques to increase the opportunities for the sorbent to come in contact with the volume of midstream-liquid resources.

[0215] The contact time may be calculated, although, in some embodiments, the contact time may be based on a direct or an indirect measurement of the change in metal concentration within the system. In some embodiments, batch processing the volume of midstream-liquid resources with the sorbent for the contact time may further comprise testing an indication of a concentration level of the at least one metal using various suitable detection methods. Non-limiting examples of such detection methods include Micro Plasma Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (MIBS) and Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS), both of which are capable of providing real-time, in-situ analysis of metal concentrations. Other suitable methods may include Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS), which offers high sensitivity for detecting trace metals, and Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS) for quantifying specific metal ions, which is effective for rapid, non-destructiveelemental analysis. These methods can be employed individually or in combination to ensure accurate detection and quantification of the desired metal within the midstream liquid resource, thereby enhancing the subsequent extraction processes. In some embodiments, testing an indication of a concentration level of the at least one metal includes testing a pH level of the midstream-liquid resources. In some embodiments, exposing the volume of midstream-liquid resources to a sorbent for a contact time may further comprise continuous processing the volume of midstream-liquid resources with the sorbent for the contact time. Continuous processing may be monitored to ensure metal extraction occurs at the desired levels.

[0216] In some embodiments, continuous processing the volume of midstream-liquid resources with the sorbent for the contact time further comprises testing a concentration level of the at least one metal. In some embodiments, batch processing the volume of midstreamliquid resources with the sorbent for the contact time further comprises testing an indication of a concentration level of the at least one metal. In some embodiments, testing an indication of a concentration level of the at least one metal further comprises testing a pH level of the midstream-liquid resources.

[0217] In some embodiments, testing an indication of a concentration level of the at least one metal further comprises testing a flow rate of the midstream-liquid resources. In some embodiments, the sorbent may be a metal-oxide sorbent. In some embodiments, the metal- oxide sorbent may be doped. In some embodiments, the metal-oxide sorbent may be doped with an ion doping agent.

[0218] In some embodiments, an ion dopant may further comprise an ion-doping agent. For anonlimiting example of an ion-doping agent, see Guotai Zhang, et al. “Al and F Ions Co-Modified lil.6mnl.6o4 with Obviously Enhanced Li+ Adsorption Performances.” Chemical Engineering Journal, Elsevier, 5 July 2022, https: / / www.sciencedirect.com / science / article / abs / pii / S1385894722033988, the publication is hereby incorporated in its entirety by reference. In some embodiments, the metal-oxide sorbent may be a manganese oxide-based sorbent. In some embodiments, the manganese oxide-based sorbent may be doped. In some embodiments, the metal-oxide sorbent may be a manganese oxide-based sorbent that may further comprise a lithium manganese oxide (LMO). For a discussion of lithium manganese oxides (LMOs) in conjunction with direct lithium extraction (DLE) based on the chemistry of the midstream-liquid resources, see Calvo, Ernesto. (2021), Direct Lithium Recovery from Aqueous Electrolytes with Electrochemical Ion Pumping and Lithium Intercalation, ACSOmega, 10.1021 / acsomega. lc05516, which is hereby incorporated in its entirety by reference. In some embodiments, the metal-oxide sorbent may be a manganese oxide-based sorbent that may further comprise a lithium-manganese-oxide-(LMO)-type lithium ion-sieve (LIS). For more information on LMO-type LIS, see Ding Weng a 1, et al. ’‘Introduction of Manganese Based Lithium-Ion Sieve-A Review.” Progress in Natural Science: Materials International, Elsevier, 19 Mar. 2020, https: / / www.sciencedirect.corn / science / article / pii / S1002007119304204, which is hereby incorporated in its entirety by reference.

[0219] In some embodiments, the lithium manganese oxide (LMO) may be doped. In some embodiments, the metal-oxide sorbent may be a titanate sorbent. In some embodiments, the titanate sorbent may be doped. In some embodiments, the metal-oxide sorbent may be an aluminate sorbent such as lithium-aluminum-layered double hydroxide (LDH) sorbents (LiClA12(OH)6nH2O) or Aluminum Hydroxide based sorbents (LiX / Al(OH)s). In some embodiments, the lithium manganese oxide (LMO) may be doped. The doping process can enhance the ion exchange capacity and selectivity of the sorbent, as described in U.S. Patent No. 10.266,915 B2, where specific dopants are utilized to modify the sorbent's structure, thereby improving its affinity for target ions. In some embodiments, the metal-oxide sorbent may be a titanate sorbent, which can also be doped to increase its effectiveness in ionexchange processes. The patent outlines methods for doping metal oxides to enhance their sorption properties, making them more efficient for applications like critical material extraction. In some embodiments, the metal-oxide sorbent may be an aluminate sorbent, such as lithium-aluminum-layered double hydroxide (LDH) sorbents (LiClA12(OH)6nH2O) or aluminum hydroxide-based sorbents (LiX / Al(OH)3). The aluminate sorbent, like the LMO and titanate sorbents, may also be doped to improve its ion selectivity and sorption kinetics. In some embodiments, the contact time may be a function of at least the volume of midstream-liquid resources, the sorbent surface area, and the desired extraction efficiency of the concentration of metal from the volume of midstream-liquid resources. In some embodiments, the aluminate sorbent may be doped. In some embodiments, the contact time may be a function of at least the volume of midstream-liquid resources, a sorbent surface area, and a desired extraction of the concentration of metal from the volume of midstreamliquid resources.

[0220] In some embodiments, the at least one metal may be an alkali metal. In some embodiments, the alkali metal may be lithium. In some embodiments, the lithium from the volume of midstream-liquid resources may be at an initial concentration equal to or less thanor equal to 50 ppm. In some embodiments, the lithium from the volume of midstream-liquid resources may be at an initial concentration equal to or less than 50 ppm and greater than or equal to 3 ppm.

[0221] In some embodiments, the lithium from the volume of midstream-liquid resources may be at an initial concentration equal to or less than 100 ppm. In some embodiments, the contact time may be a function of at least the volume of midstream-liquid resources, the mass of sorbent, and a reduction in an initial pH of the midstream-liquid resources to a final pH of the midstream-liquid resources. In some embodiments, an initial pH of the midstream-liquid resources may be a pH less than or equal to 10.0 and greater than or equal to a pH of 5.0.

[0222] In some embodiments, a final pH of the midstream-liquid resources may be greater than or equal to a pH of 5.0. In some embodiments, the volume of midstream-liquid resources is exposed to the sorbent during the contact time. In some embodiments, the at least one metal from the volume of midstream-liquid resources may be an alkali metal. In some embodiments, the alkali metal from the volume of midstream-liquid resources may be lithium.

[0223] In some embodiments, an initial concentration of the lithium from the volume of midstream-liquid resources may be less than or equal to fifty (50) ppm and greater than or equal to ten (10) ppm. In some embodiments, an initial concentration of the lithium from the volume of midstream-liquid resources may be greater than or equal to ten (10) ppm. In some embodiments, the method may include receiving the volume of midstream-liquid resources. In some embodiments, the volume of midstream-liquid resources may be received untreated from an oil-producing well.

[0224] In some embodiments, the volume of midstream-liquid resources may be received untreated from an oil-producing well. In some embodiments, the volume of midstream-liquid resources is pre-treated prior to exposing the volume of midstream-liquid resources to a sorbent for a contact time. In some embodiments, pre-treating the volume of midstreamliquid resources prior to exposing the volume of midstream-liquid resources to a sorbent for a contact time further comprises applying, to the midstream-liquid resources, one or more of a mechanical filter, a chemical filter, or a magnetic separation.

[0225] In some embodiments, rinsing the sorbent after the contact time elapses further comprises rinsing the sorbent with fresh water after the contact time. In some embodiments, the method may include returning the fresh water to one or more holding tanks. In some embodiments, the method may include performing reverse osmosis on the returned freshwater. In some embodiments, exposing the rinsed sorbent to a reagent to produce at least one metal eluate further comprises exposing the rinsed sorbent to an aqueous acid solution.

[0226] In the context of releasing lithium from a sorbent, various reagents and mechanisms can be employed depending on the specific system and desired outcomes. Commonly employed acids include hydrochloric acid (HC1) and sulfuric acid (H2SO4), which are highly effective due to their strong acidic properties, facilitating the elution of lithium ions. In scenarios requiring milder conditions or specific chemical compatibilities, weaker acids such as acetic acid (CH3COOH), citric acid (CeHsCh), and carbonic acid (H2CO3) can be used. Carbonic acid is valuable for its ability to generate bicarbonate ions in solution, which can interact with lithium ions to assist in their release from the sorbent. Alternative methods such as thermal desorption and electrochemical desorption are also viable, where the former relies on heating the sorbent to release lithium, and the latter applies an electrical current for ion release, particularly in systems optimized for electrochemical processes.

[0227] In some embodiments, producing a metal-chloride eluate further comprises producing a lithium-chloride eluate. In some embodiments, producing a lithium-chloride eluate further comprises removing the lithium-chloride eluate from the rinsed sorbent. In some embodiments, after producing a lithium-chloride eluate by removing the eluate from the rinsed sorbent, the lithium-chloride solution may undergo further processing to convert it into an economically desirable form such as lithium carbonate. This conversion can be achieved through a series of chemical reactions. For instance, the lithium-chloride eluate may be treated with sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) to precipitate lithium carbonate (Li2CO3), a compound commonly used in various industrial applications, including the production of lithium-ion batteries. In some embodiments, the reaction may involve heating the lithiumchloride solution with sodium carbonate under controlled conditions, leading to the formation of lithium carbonate precipitate, which can then be filtered, washed, and dried to obtain a high-purity-lithium-carbonate product suitable for commercial sale. Additionally, alternative conversion methods may involve using lithium hydroxide (LiOH) as an intermediary product, depending on the specific market requirements and intended application of the lithium product. This approach allows for flexibility in the production process, increasing the likelihood of or ensuring that the final lithium product meets industry standards and customer specifications.

[0228] In some embodiments, the method may include receiving the volume of midstream-liquid resources. In some embodiments, receiving the volume of midstream-liquid resources further comprises receiving the volume of midstream-liquid resources at awellhead, a saltwater disposal well, a produced-water storage facility, a retention pond, a frac pond, a flowback-fluid collection site, a retention pond, a holding tank, a holding pond, a pump station, a frac tank, or a water-midstream infrastructure site.

[0229] In some embodiments, receiving the volume of midstream-liquid resources further comprises pre-treating the midstream-liquid resources. In some embodiments, the volume of midstream-liquid resources further comprises pre-treated midstream-liquid resources. In some embodiments, pre-treating the midstream-liquid resources further comprises running the volume of midstream-liquid resources through a mechanical filter.

[0230] In some embodiments, pre-treating the midstream-liquid resources further comprises running the volume of midstream-liquid resources through a chemical filter. In some embodiments, pre-treating the midstream-liquid resources further comprises applying, to the midstream-liquid resources, a multiphase separator. In some embodiments, pre-treating the midstream-liquid resources further comprises applying, to the midstream-liquid resources, at least one of a heat treatment, gravity' separation, centrifugal separation, nut shell filtration, or electrochemical separation.

[0231] In some embodiments, pre-treating the midstream-liquid resources further comprises applying, to the midstream-liquid resources, a chemical demulsifier. In some embodiments, pre-treating the midstream-liquid resourcess further comprises applying, to the midstream-liquid resources, a magnetic-separation treatment. In some embodiments, pretreating the midstream-liquid resources further comprises applying, to the midstream-liquid resources, a magnetic-separation treatment. In some embodiments, pre-treating the midstream-liquid resources further comprises applying, to the midstream-liquid resource, at least one of a dissolved-air flotation, a suspended-air flotation, a diffused-air flotation, an oxygen-induced-air flotation.

[0232] In some embodiments, pre-treating the midstream-liquid resources further comprises applying, to the midstream-liquid resources, an oil skimmer. In some embodiments, pre-treating the midstream-liquid resources may further comprise plasma treating the volume of midstream-liquid resources. In some embodiments, pre-treating the midstream-liquid resources further comprises removing, from the midstream-liquid resources, at least one of a solid, oil, or H2S.

[0233] In some embodiments, pre-treating the midstream-liquid resources further comprises precipitating an iron-containing compound. In some embodiments, pre-treating the midstream-liquid resources further comprises adsorbing sodium from the midstream-liquidresources. In some embodiments, the method may include receiving the volume of midstream-liquid resources at a weir tank.

[0234] In some embodiments, a metal being extracted from the midstream volume of may be a compound containing, or an ionic form of, at least one of silver, aluminum, gold, boron, beryllium, bismuth, bromine, calcium, cadmium, chromium, cobalt, or copper, manganese, magnesium, potassium, vanadium, or strontium.

[0235] FIG. 4 is a flowchart that describes a method for enhancing extraction of lithium, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, at 410, the method may include receiving a volume of a pretreated (e.g., wastewater) midstream-liquid resource from a pipeline, a tank, a midstream recycling facility, or a desalination site.

[0236] At 420. the method may include removing at least one chemical treatment from the chemical-treatment regimen from the volume of the pretreated midstream-liquid resource. Removing at least one chemical treatment from the chemical-treatment regimen 420 may involve using a mechanical filter. Non-limiting examples of types of mechanical filters include, but should not be limited to, sand filtration, bag filtration, cartridge filtration, disc filtration, membrane filtration, media filtration, activated carbon filtration, ceramic filtration, ultrafiltration, and nanofiltration.

[0237] In the pre-treatment process 420, these filters may be employed to remove various contaminants and chemical residues from the wastewater midstream-liquid resource. For example, sand filtration utilizes layers of sand to trap and remove particulates, often serving as a primary filtration step in desalination plants. Bag and cartridge filtration systems are commonly used in produced water recycling facilities to remove larger particles and debris before the water undergoes further treatment. Disc filtration provides high-efficiency filtration by using a series of stacked discs that trap particles as water flows through, making it suitable for applications requiring compact filtration units.

[0238] Membrane filtration, including ultrafiltration and nanofiltration, employs semipermeable membranes to separate smaller particles and dissolved contaminants. Ultrafiltration can remove suspended solids and macromolecules, while nanofiltration targets smaller dissolved substances, including some salts and organic molecules. Media filtration, such as activated-carbon filtration, is effective for adsorbing organic contaminants and residual chemicals from the pre-treated fluid. Ceramic filtration systems offer durability and high-temperature resistance, making them suitable for environments with extreme conditions. Each of these mechanical filters plays a role in increasing the likelihood or ensuring that the treated liquid resource is adequately purified before further processing, such as critical-material extraction or other downstream treatments. In some embodiments, one treatment process 420 is applied. In some embodiments, multiple treatments may be applied to the midstream-liquid resource in a treatment regimen.

[0239] After the initial mechanical pre-treatment process 420 has been applied to the wastewater midstream-liquid resource, various residuals may still remain, necessitating further treatment or disposal. These residuals can include trace amounts of the chemical treatments themselves, such as oxidizers, coagulants, or flocculants that were not fully removed during the treatment process. Organic contaminants, including residual hydrocarbons, natural organic matter, and organic acids, might also persist. Additionally, suspended solids that were not completely filtered out, such as fine particulate matter, emulsified oils, or colloidal particles, can remain in the treated liquid. Dissolved ions, including trace metals or salts, may also be present if not entirely captured by ion-exchange resins or membranes during the treatment. The presence of these residuals highlights the need for additional polishing or secondary treatments to ensure the treated liquid meets the desired purity standards before being reused or disposed of.

[0240] While removing at least one chemical treatment from the chemical-treatment regimen 420 has been described with respect to mechanical-filtration processes, other examples of chemical removal include ion exchange, absorption using activated carbon or other media, biological degradation through bioreactors, chemical precipitation, electrochemical treatments, advanced oxidation processes, distillation, membrane separation techniques such as reverse osmosis or nanofiltration, and solvent extraction. These methods can be used independently or in combination to effectively reduce or eliminate unwanted chemicals from the pre-treated fluid, thereby enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of the subsequent treatment stages. In some embodiments, the solvent-extraction process 420 may be utilized to selectively extract desired metals from a liquid resource. In some embodiments, the solvent-extraction process 420 may follow principles similar to those described in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2022 / 0356545 Al, titled ‘LITHIUM EXTRACTANT COMPOUNDS AND THEIR USE IN SELECTIVE LITHIUM EXTRACTION FROM AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS’ the contents of which are incorporated herein in their entirety by reference. The publication discusses non-limiting examples of solvent-extraction techniques 420 that may enhance phase separation, reduce emulsion formation, and increase metal-recovery efficiency. By applying solvent-extraction techniques 420, the solvent-extraction process 420 can effectively isolate critical materials from the treated midstream-liquid resource, enhancing or optimizing the overall extraction yield whileminimizing the co-extraction of unwanted impurities. These improvements make the process highly suitable for applications requiring precise metal selectivity and high throughput in complex liquid matrices.

[0241] At 430, the method may include applying a treatment to the pre-treated fluid. When applying a treatment 430 to the pre-treated fluid 420, certain residuals may remain in the fluid. For illustrative purposes, the pre-treatment regimen 420 includes the application of a biocide and a weir tank. The biocide may reduce bacterial content but could leave behind byproducts of the microbial degradation process, including organic compounds and inactivated cells. The weir tank, primarily functioning to separate immiscible liquids and heavier suspended solids, may still allow finer suspended solids, emulsified oils, and dissolved organic matter to pass through. Additionally, chemical residues from the biocide itself, along with any colloidal particles, minor oil fractions, and dissolved salts, may persist in the pre-treated fluid. Therefore, applying a treatment 430 following the pre-treatment regimen might need to address these remaining contaminants to ensure the fluid is adequately prepared for critical material extraction or further processing.

[0242] Following the steps referenced as 420 and 430, at 440, the method may involve removing hydrocarbons, organic matter, hydrogen sulfide (FLS), ions, or suspended solids from the pre-treated fluid. Removing hydrocarbons, organic matter, hydrogen sulfide (H2S), ions, or suspended solids 440 may further purify the midstream-liquid resource prior to performing critical-material extraction 450. Removing hydrocarbons 440 reduces the risk of fouling in downstream equipment, while eliminating organic matter and suspended solids helps prevent clogging and enhances the efficiency of separation processes. Hydrogen sulfide removal mitigates corrosion risks and reduces the presence of sulfur compounds that could interfere with chemical treatments or extraction processes. The removal of ions, particularly those that could form scale or interact negatively with other chemicals, ensures the fluid is optimally conditioned for any further processing. This step may utilize a combination of mechanical, chemical, or electrochemical techniques to achieve the desired level of purification.

[0243] In some embodiments, removing hydrocarbons, organic matter, hydrogen sulfide, ions, or suspended solids from the pretreated volume of a midstream-liquid resource further comprises applying a mechanical treatment further comprising at least one of a media filtration, bag filtration, cartridge filtration, a ceramic filtration, ceramic ultrafiltration, ceramic nanofiltration, and a divalent-filtration system, membrane-filtration system,dissolved-air flotation (DAF), suspended-air flotation (SAF), weir tank, media bed, membrane, centrifuge, clarifier, or hydrocyclone.

[0244] At 450, the method may include performing critical-material extraction. The volume of the pretreated midstream-liquid resource may have been treated with a chemicaltreatment regimen. At 450, the method may include performing critical-material extraction using the Critical Material Extraction (CME) system 450. The CME system 450 may encompass various techniques tailored to the specific metal of interest and the composition of the pre-treated fluid. Examples of CME systems that may be employed include ion-exchange systems, where ion-exchange resins or media selectively remove metal ions such as lithium from the pre-treated fluid by exchanging them with other cations present on the resin. Another example is solvent extraction, which involves the use of an organic solvent that selectively binds to metal ions, allowing their separation from the aqueous phase. Membranebased separation systems, including nanofiltration and reverse osmosis, can also be used within the CME system 450 to concentrate metal ions, utilizing lithium-selective membranes to facilitate the extraction of lithium from complex brine solutions. Additionally, electrochemical extraction within the CME system 450 may use an electric field to drive metal ions through a selective membrane or onto an electrode surface, enabling the accumulation of the metal for subsequent harvesting. Lastly, absorption on sorbents may be employed, where metals such as lithium are selectively adsorbed onto sorbent materials like aluminate sorbents such as aluminum hydroxide, with the metal being desorbed or rinsed off using a suitable reagent. These diverse approaches within the CME step 450 provide versatile and effective tools for the extraction of critical materials in various industrial processes.

[0245] At 450, the method may include performing critical-material extraction using the Critical Metal Extraction (CME) step 450. This system may incorporate a variety of techniques specifically designed to target and extract critical materials from the pre-treated fluid. Non-limiting examples of these extraction techniques include Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE), which may involve processes such as ion exchange, absorption, or membrane-based separation to selectively remove lithium ions from brines or other liquid resources.

[0246] Another non-limiting example is Vanadium Extraction, where techniques like solvent extraction or ion exchange can be employed to isolate vanadium from midstreamliquid resources or other industrial effluents. In a still further non-limiting example, Direct Cobalt Extraction may utilize similar solvent extraction or absorption methods, focusing on selectively isolating cobalt from complex mixtures found in wastewater or brine solutions.Lastly, Direct Nickel Extraction could be achieved using electrochemical processes or selective-precipitation techniques, enabling the recovery of nickel from midstream-liquid resources that contain dissolved metals.

[0247] This step 450 is designed to operate following the removal of pre-treatment chemicals and their byproducts at 430, as well as the application of subsequent treatment regimens at 440. These steps 420, 430, and 440 serve to purify the midstream-liquid resource, which contains the critical material of interest, to a level that enables efficient commercialscale CME. In some embodiments, steps 420 may not be needed. In another embodiment, steps 430 and 440 may be performed at a desalination plant or a transfer station prior to step 450. While numerous examples have been described, the chemical constituents and physical properties of the water may dictate the use of different combinations of steps 420, 430. and 440 prior to the CME step 450. In some embodiments, the purification process increases the likelihood of or ensures that the midstream-liquid resource is free from contaminants that could interfere with the extraction processes, such as Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE), Vanadium Extraction, Direct Cobalt Extraction, and Direct Nickel Extraction. These processes, sometimes essential for the recovery of valuable critical materials, are made viable on a commercial scale due to the rigorous pre-treatment and purification steps 420, 430, and 440 that precede the CME. This approach increases or maximizes resource recovery while reducing or minimizing potential disruptions caused by residual impurities in the liquid resource.

[0248] FIG. 5 is a block diagram that describes a system 500, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, the system 500 may include several key components and stations designed to optimize the extraction of lithium from a liquid resource. In some embodiments, the methods and systems 500 described herein for Critical Material Extraction (CME) may utilize Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) systems similar to those disclosed in U.S. Non-Provisional Utility Patent Application No. 18 / 601,898, filed on March 11, 2024, and entitled 'USE OF SORBENT COMPOSITIONS WITH NANOBUBBLES IN PRODUCED WATER APPLICATIONS,' the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0249] At 510, the method may include a pre-treatment station to receive a volume of midstream-liquid resource from a pipeline, tank, or disposal site. This pre-treatment station is critical for preparing the wastewater for further processing. The pre-treatment may involve applying various biocides such as oxidizers (e. , hydrogen peroxide, ozone), glutaraldehyde, quaternary ammonium compounds (QUATs), DBNPA, or THPS to reduce microbialcontamination. The treatment may also aim to separate the volume into a retentate and a filtrate. The filtrate, after pre-treatment, typically has a turbidity’ of less than twenty’ (20) Nephelometric Turbidity Units (NTU), Total Suspended Solids (TSS) of less than two hundred (200) mg / L, a positive Oxidation-Reduction Potential (ORP), or an iron content of less than five (5) mg / L.

[0250] The filtration station 520 station is configured to receive the pre-treated fluid. In some embodiments, the filtration station 520 is designed to further remove impurities from the fluid, non-limiting examples of which include but are not limited to a flocculant, a surfactant, hydrocarbons, oil, grease, suspended solids, flocculated particles, emulsified oils, sediment and silt, particulate matter, organic and inorganic solids, bacteria and pathogens, colloidal particles, sludge, dense particulate matter, sand, metals, organic compounds, or charged particles. The filtration may involve multiple stages such as media filtration, cartridge filters, bag filters, disc filters, or membrane filtration. In some embodiments, the filtration station may include one or more of an above-ground storage tank, a frac tank, a weir tank, a floatation tank, a clarifier, a tank, a separator, a gunbarrel tank, a holding pond, a frac pond, a retention pond, a pipe, a pipeline, a serpentine pipeline. Membrane-filtration technologies, including microfiltration, nanofiltration, ultrafiltration, or divalent rejection membranes, can be essential components in the treatment and purification processes in various industries, including metal-extraction technologies like those used in and / or accompany direct-lithium-extraction (DLE) systems. These membranes are part of a broader class of filtration technologies that are distinguished by their pore sizes and their ability to separate different types of particles and solutes from liquids.

[0251] Microfiltration has larger pore sizes (ty pically 0.1 to ten (10) microns) and is used primarily for removing suspended solids, bacteria, or some larger organic molecules. Ultrafiltration offers smaller pore sizes (typically 0.01 to 0.1 microns) and is effective at removing proteins, colloids, or other macromolecules. Nanofiltration falls between ultrafiltration and reverse osmosis, with pore sizes ty pically in the range of one to ten (1-10) nanometers, or is used for removing small organic molecules and divalent ions like calcium and magnesium. Divalent-rejection membranes are specialized membranes designed to selectively reject divalent ions while allowing monovalent ions like sodium and lithium to pass through, making them particularly relevant in lithium-extraction processes. In some embodiments, superfiltration membranes, such as those described in the technology' by ZwitterCo, Inc., may be utilized. Superfiltration employs zwitterionic copolymers that enhance fouling resistance and broaden the contaminant-removal spectrum beyond that oftraditional ultrafiltration. This technology effectively removes oils and other organic materials while maintaining high-water recovery rates. The integration of such superfiltration technology may improve or optimize the treatment of midstream-liquid resources for subsequent lithium-extraction processes. The complete details of this technology are disclosed in ZwitterCo's product information and are incorporated by reference in their entirety from https : / / zwitterco. com / our-products / superfiltration / .

[0252] In some embodiments, the filtration station 520 removes hydrocarbons, organic matter, hydrogen sulfide, ions, or suspended solids. Filtration methods may include dissolved-air flotation (DAF), suspended-air flotation (SAF), or weir tanks to increase the likelihood that or ensure the removal of fine particulates and emulsified oils. In some embodiments, the station may employ chemical treatments such as flocculants and coagulants to enhance the removal process.

[0253] In an embodiment, the system 500 treats a midstream-liquid resource prior to extracting critical materials by sequestering a desired metal from the pre-treated midstream liquid resource. In some embodiments, the midstream-liquid resource is first treated at a pretreatment station 510 and subsequently received at a mixing tank 530. The pre-treated fluid is then directed to the critical-material-extraction (CME) system 560, or the mixing tank 530. In some embodiments, the mixing tank 530 may contain a sorbent composition for sequestering the desired metal from the pre-treated midstream-liquid resource. Desired metals that may be isolated include, but are not limited to, Aluminum, Magnesium, Potassium. Bromine, Boron, Calcium, Strontium, or Rare Earth Elements (REEs).

[0254] The mixing tank 530 is designed to hold the pre-treated fluid and facilitate the interaction with sorbent compositions such as lithium manganese oxide (LMO), lithium manganese oxide-type lithium ion-sieve (LIS), titanate sorbents, or aluminate sorbents, thereby enabling the material-extraction process within the CME system. The sorbent compositions may be selectively doped to improve or optimize performance based on the specific attributes of the desired metal. Doping agents may be chosen to extend the number of cycles the sorbent composition can withstand when exposed to the midstream-liquid resource or to increase the sorbent's loading capacity or speed. Non-limiting examples of doping agents include Mg2+, Sn2+, Zn2+, Al3+, Cr3+, Sn4+, Zr4. Ru4+, V5+, or Nb5+.

[0255] The material-extraction process isolates the desired metal into a retentate within the material-retention system, while the remaining filtrate is directed to a midstream-release system, enabling further processing or disposal.

[0256] Following the absorption process, the mixing tank 530 may be rinsed to recover the desired metal. The rinsing agent, stored within a rinse station 540, may vary depending on the specific sorbent composition and the desired metal. Common rinsing agents stored within a rinse station 540 include water, impurities, or organic solvents like ethanol or methanol. The rinsing process allows the desired metal to be eluted from the sorbent, forming a metalrich solution. In some embodiments, prior to desorbing the desired metal from the sorbent composition, the rinse station releases water into the mixing tank 530. In some embodiments, the rinse station rinses the sorbent composition with water to remove any impurities from the mixing tank 530 and sorbent composition that may be lingering when the filtrate is removed from the mixing tank 530. In some embodiments the rinse is retained as some of the desired metal may be desorbed from the sorbent composition during the rinse step. The rinse may be received at a reverse osmosis station 550 where the water from the rinse may be removed, and desired metal more fully concentrated, for example via reverse osmosis, forming a metalrich product in solution, such as a lithium product in solution.

[0257] For illustrative purposes, in some embodiments the desired metal is lithium. In some embodiments, during the contact time, lithium ions from the midstream-liquid resource are adsorbed within the sorbent composition. The mixing tank 530 increases the likelihood or ensures that the conditions are improved or optimal for increased or maximum lithium transfer, such as maintaining the appropriate pH, temperature, and level of agitation to enhance or optimize the sequestration of lithium within the sorbent composition. While described as a mixing tank 530, any vessel that may accept a pre-treated midstream-liquid resource, hold a sorbent composition or be adapted to hold a sorbent composition, and release the pre-treated fluid once a specified contact time elapses qualifies as a mixing vessel.

[0258] While the CME 560 has been described with a mixing tank 530 and a sorbent composition, the CME 560 may be adapted with other metal-extraction systems or combinations of systems and post-absorption treatments. Non-limiting examples of such systems include electrochemical-extraction systems 564, resin-based systems 566, and membrane-based systems 568. These alternative extraction systems can be particularly useful when the pre-treated midstream-liquid resource contains lithium, as they provide different mechanisms for isolating and concentrating lithium from the solution.

[0259] In some embodiments, the system 500 may include a reagent station 540, which houses and delivers specific reagents to facilitate the metal-desorption process. The reagent station 540 can dispense various chemical solutions, including acid-based reagents (e.g., HC1, H2SO4), or complexing agents, which interact with the sorbent composition to enhance metalrecovery from the sorbent. In some embodiments, the reagent includes several constituents, such as an acid like H2SO4 to desorb the metal from the sorbent composition and a complexing agent that can form a complex with metal ions by binding to them through multiple sites on the agent, creating a more-stable metal complex. In some embodiments, the reagent station 540 may dose the sorbent composition with one or more reagents in parallel or series. Additionally, the reagent station 540 may include desorption monitoring and dosing systems to facilitate or ensure precise reagent application or metal desorption, thereby enhancing the efficiency of the metal-extraction process and potentially reducing operating costs of the system 500.

[0260] The material-extraction process isolates the desired metal into a retentate within the material-retention system, while the remaining filtrate is directed to a midstream-release system, enabling further processing or disposal of the filtrate.

[0261] In some embodiments, the electrochemical extraction system 564 may utilize processes such as electrolysis, where lithium ions in the pre-treated midstream-liquid resource are driven towards an electrode by an applied electric current. This process results in the accumulation of lithium at the electrode, allowing for its extraction and concentration. Non-limiting examples of electrochemical extraction systems include those utilizing lithiumselective electrodes or specialized electrochemical cells designed to enhance lithium recovery through controlled electrical fields and chemical gradients.

[0262] Similarly, resin-based systems 566 may employ ion-exchange resins that are selectively permeable to lithium ions. As the pre-treated midstream-liquid resource passes through a column containing these resins, lithium ions are captured and held by the resin while other ions are allowed to pass through. Once the resin is saturated with lithium, it can be regenerated using an appropriate eluent, resulting in a concentrated lithium solution. Nonlimiting examples of resins used in this context include strong acid cation exchange resins or chelating resins designed specifically for lithium recovery.

[0263] Membrane-based systems 568, such as those utilizing nanofiltration, ultrafiltration, or reverse osmosis 550, can also be employed to concentrate lithium from the pre-treated midstream-liquid resource. In these systems, the liquid resource is passed through a lithium-selective membrane that allows lithium ions to permeate while rejecting larger ions and molecules. This results in a concentrated lithium solution on one side of the membrane. Non-limiting examples of membranes include polymeric or Divalent Rejection Membranes with pore sizes and surface charges tailored to optimize lithium-ion selectivity and passage.

[0264] In some embodiments, the extracted lithium can then be further processed and concentrated in the metal-product-retention system 570, providing a versatile and adaptable solution for lithium extraction from a variety of midstream-liquid resources.Metal Product Retention Station

[0265] Once the desorption regimen has been completed, the metal-rich product in solution, or retentate, may be concentrated and collected in a metal-product-retention system 570. In some embodiments, the metal-product-retention system 570 may be adapted to house and potentially further concentrate the desired metal in solution by incorporating various features and mechanisms designed for this purpose. For illustrative purposes, the system may include a reservoir equipped with agitation systems that maintain uniformity in the metal-rich solution, thereby preventing the settling of solids. Non-limiting examples of concentration mechanisms that could be included in the metal product retention system 570 are evaporation systems, which could employ controlled heating or vacuum-assisted evaporation to reduce the solution volume, thereby increasing the concentration of the metal.

[0266] In some embodiments, the metal-product-retention system 570 may include membrane-filtration techniques, such as ultrafiltration or reverse osmosis, to selectively remove water and other impurities, further concentrating the metal ions in the solution. Crystallization may also be utilized, wherein the system could be equipped with a crystallizer that induces supersaturation in the metal-rich solution, leading to the precipitation of the metal as a solid, which can then be collected separately. In some embodiments, evaporation techniques may be applied to the metal-rich product in solution, or retentate, in order to increase the metal concentration. In some embodiments, the metal-product-retention system 570 may include a reverse-osmosis station 550. The reverse-osmosis station 550 may receive the metal-rich product in solution and remove water from the solution, thereby increasing the concentration of the desired metal within the metal-nch product in solution. This step ensures that the final metal-rich product meets the required purity and concentration levels for commercial applications. In some embodiments, the metal-rich product in solution may be cycled multiple times to concentrate the metal content. For illustrative purposes, concentrating an initial desired metal concentration of the metal eluate to a desired metalcycle concentration between one hundred to five hundred (100 - 500) ppm per cycle may be performed, thereby forming a further concentrated metal-rich product in solution.

[0267] For further sy stem 500 improvement or optimization, the metal-product-retention system 570 may be adapted with automated monitoring and control features that adjustprocess parameters such as temperature, pressure, or pH to increase the likelihood or ensure improved or optimal metal recovery and concentration. For example, pH adjustment features and redox potential control systems may be included to maintain the metal in a soluble form or to facilitate its precipitation. Non-limiting examples of these controls might involve adding specific acids or bases to maintain solubility or initiate controlled crystallization.

[0268] In some embodiments, to increase the likelihood or ensure safety and stability , particularly when handling reactive or toxic-metal solutions, the metal-product-retention system 570 may include features such as inert-gas blanketing (e.g., nitrogen) to prevent oxidation or undesired reactions with atmospheric gases. Additionally, the system could be constructed from corrosion-resistant materials to ensure longevity and safety during operation. These features are provided for illustrative purposes and are not intended to be limiting, as other configurations and adaptations may also be employed within the scope of the invention.

[0269] The system 600, as illustrated in FIG. 6, receives a pre-treated midstream-liquid resource from a pre-treatment station 602 that may process a midstream-liquid resource before critical-material extraction. In some embodiments, a pre-treatment station 602 may receive the midstream-liquid resource from a desalination plant. Additional non-limiting examples include produced-water recycling facilities, saltwater-disposal facilities, midstream-recycling facilities, frac-water-treatment plants, municipal-wastewater treatment plants, industrial-wastewater treatment plants, brine treatment facilities, centralized treatment plants, evaporation ponds, injection wells, oilfield-water-handling facilities, an unconventional geobrine station, and mobile water treatment units.

[0270] In some embodiments, the pre-treatment station 602 may receive a volume of midstream-liquid resource from sources such as pipelines, tanks, or disposal sites. Examples of the pre-treatment station 602 include equipment such as above-ground storage tanks, frac tanks, weir tanks, flotation tanks, clarifiers, separators, gunbarrel tanks, holding ponds, frac ponds, retention ponds, pipes, pipelines, or serpentine pipelines.

[0271] The pre-treatment station 602 may apply various pre-treatment regimens to the midstream-liquid resource, including the application of biocides, chemical treatments, or processes for solid and residue removal. In some embodiments, biocides may include oxidizers such as hydrogen peroxide, ozone, bubbled oxygen, nanobubbled oxygen, carbon dioxide (CO2), aeration, chlorine, chlorine dioxide, sodium hypochlorite, peracetic acid, potassium permanganate, or calcium hypochlorite, as well as other biocides like glutaraldehyde. Quaternary Ammonium Compounds (QUATs), DBNPA (2,2-Dibromo-3-nitrilopropionamide), or THPS (Tetrakis (hydroxymethyl) phosphonium sulfate). In some embodiments, the pre-treatment station 602 may remove contaminants such as hydrocarbons, organic matter, hydrogen sulfide, ions, or suspended solids. Solids may be removed by a any number of methodologies including mechanical treatments like media filtration, cartridge filters, bag filters, disc filters, membrane filtration, activated carbon, dissolved-air flotation (DAF). suspended-air flotation (SAF). weir tanks, or settling tanks.

[0272] In some embodiments, the pre-treatment process may further include separating the midstream-liquid resource into a retentate and a filtrate. The filtrate may exhibit specific properties, such as a turbidity of less than twenty (20) Nephelometric Turbidity7Units (NTU), Total Suspended Solids (TSS) of less than two hundred (200) mg / L, a positive Oxidation- Reduction Potential (ORP), or an iron content of less than five (5) mg / L.

[0273] For illustrative purposes, the retentate from the pre-treatment station may include a variety of substances that have been removed from the midstream-liquid resource. These substances may include one or more of suspended solids, such as silt, sediment, or other insoluble particles; hydrocarbons, including oil, grease, and other organic compounds; and flocculated particles, which are aggregates formed dunng the flocculation process that may include both organic and inorganic materials. Additionally, coagulated particles, larger aggregates formed through coagulation processes involving chemical additives like aluminum sulfate or ferric chloride, may also be present in the retentate. The retentate may further contain iron precipitants, which are iron compounds precipitated out of the solution, ty pically in the form of iron hydroxides. Emulsified oils, biological contaminants such as bacteria and pathogens removed using biocides, and surfactants separated from the liquid resource during treatment may also be found in the retentate. Additionally, the retentate may contain organic matter, including decomposed plant and animal material, and chemical residues resulting from prior chemical treatments, such as residual oxidizers, coagulants, or other treatment chemicals. In some embodiments, non-limiting examples of the retentate includes a flocculant, a surfactant, hydrocarbons, oil, grease, suspended solids, flocculated particles, emulsified oils, sediment and silt, particulate matter, organic and inorganic solids, bacteria and pathogens, colloidal particles, sludge, dense particulate matter, sand, metals, organic compounds, and charged particles. In some embodiments, the retentate is a particle with an average size greater than one micron in diameter. These substances within the retentate are typically concentrated and removed during the pre-treatment process to prepare the liquid resource for further treatment or extraction processes.

[0274] In some embodiments, the pre-treatment station 602 may apply a pre-treatment regimen to the midstream-liquid resource to produce a pre-treated midstream-liquid resource. This may include at least one of a biocide, a flocculant, a coagulant, or a surfactant. In some embodiments, the filtration system 602 may be at least one of a hydrocyclone, a media filter, a ceramic filtration, a nanofiltration, a ceramic ultra-nano filtration, or a polymer-based membrane unit. In some embodiments, the pre-treatment station 602 may alter the cationic or anionic constituency of the resource using a media bed. ion-exchange process, or ceramic- or polymeric-membrane filtration. The pre-treatment process may also involve concentrating the resource's Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) using a desalination process that incorporates membrane or thermal-evaporation technologies. While efforts may be made at the pretreatment station to improve the quality of the midstream-liquid resource, the goal of facilities containing a pre-treatment station 602 have not historically been incentivized to deliver a pretreated midstream-liquid resource improved or optimized for Critical Material Extraction. In some embodiments, treatment regimens must vary to address the change in physical attributes of midstream solutions over time. From a commercial standpoint, no two locations are identical in terms of physical properties. Therefore there is a need for treatment regimens to treat the likely impurities that may occur from one location to another. Enhancing the predictability7of the physical attributes of the pre-treated midstream-liquid resource prior to a critical-metal-extraction system 650 is a goal of the present disclosure.

[0275] In some embodiments, the treatment station 610 may include a biocide-application station 612 where a biocide, such as an oxidizer is applied to the pre-treated liquid resource, and an impurity7-removal station 620 equipped with a solid-removal station 615, for example, a dissolved-air flotation (DAF), suspended-air flotation (SAF), or a weir tank where solids are removed from the pre-treated midstream liquid resource. A biocide-application station 612 increases the likelihood of or ensures satisfactory ORP values, while the impurityremoval station 620 may include multiple pieces of equipment that are running in series to reduce TDS values and remove the oxidizers applied to the incoming pre-treated midstreamliquid resource through the application of a treatment regimen.

[0276] In some embodiments, treatment station 610 applies a treatment regimen to the midstream-liquid resource to produce a treated midstream-liquid resource. Non-limiting classes of treatments include a biocide, flocculant, coagulant, or surfactant. Non-limiting examples of biocides include hydrogen peroxide, ozone, bubbled oxygen, nanobubbled oxygen, aeration, chlorine, chlorine dioxide, sodium hypochlorite, peracetic acid, potassium permanganate, calcium hypochlorite. Glutaraldehyde, Quaternary7Ammonium Compounds(QUATs), 2,2-Dibromo-3-nitrilopropionamide (DBNPA), Tetrakis (hydroxymethyl) phosphonium sulfate (THPS), isothiazolinones, formaldehyde, bromine, iodine, copper sulfate, or chlorhexidine. The physical attributes of the midstream-liquid resources vary over the life of a well and often necessitate varying the treatment regimen applied to the midstream-liquid resource to account for the variation in physical attributes of the midstreamliquid resource over time. For example, the midstream-liquid resource TDS value may increase over time. The increase in TDS may be accounted for by adjusting the treatment regimen to remove this excess TDS to return the pre-treated TDS values to a TDS value inline with the early life of the well.

[0277] In some embodiments, the operation of the biocide-application station 612 may be enhanced through the use of an automated control system 613 to dose the pre-treated liquid resource according to a treatment regimen. While a biocide application station 612 is illustrated, the treatment station 610 can add something not present in the pre-treated midstream liquid, for example, a magnetic field or flocculant, or increase the presence of a compound in the liquid resource, like a coagulant. Augmenting the automated control system 613 with a sensor network 618 and sensor feedback loop 614 may monitor the volume of the dose administered as part of the treatment regimen or time treatment and dynamically adjust the applied dose, for example, timing the application of a thermal heat source or heat sink is applied. In another embodiment, the combination of the automated control sy stem 613 with a sensor network 618 and sensor feedback loop 614 applies a treatment regimen while the sensor feedback loop 614 monitors for the presence of byproducts, the absence of byproducts, or monitors the concentration of the dosing agent (e.g, flocculant, coagulant, biocide) present in the liquid resource. In some embodiments, a sensor feedback loop 614 is automated in software to take the sensor data from the environment / vessel containing the liquid resource from one or more sensors in the sensor network 618 to activate or deactivate a mechanical mechanism (e.g. , a valve or pump) dosing the liquid resource. In some embodiments, the sensor netw ork 618 may comprise a single sensor that is integrated with the automated control system 613 or a mechanical mechanism (e.g, a valve, pump, heater, pressure valve) that governs the administration of the treatment. In some embodiments, a sensor network 618 is not integrated into the mechanical mechanism of the biocide application station 612, but provides sensor information to the automated control system 613 that informs the commands generated to control the mechanical mechanism as part of the sensor feedback loop 614.

[0278] Additionally, the treatment station 610 may include an impurity-removal station 620 to remove impurities from the pre-treatment station 602, or impurities and byproductsproduced when the treatment regimen is applied at treatment station 610. Treatment station 610 may include filtration systems suitable for removing treatments and their byproducts. Non-limiting examples of filtration systems include tubular-membrane filtration 624, spiralwound-membrane filtration 626, flat-sheet-membrane filtration 628, hollow-fiber-membrane filtration 630, ceramic-membrane filtration 632, disc-tube-module filtration 634, ultrafiltration units 636, nanofiltration units 638, microfiltration systems 640, cross-flow- filtration systems 642, and ion-removal station 646. Impurity -removal station 620 components increase the likelihood of or ensure that the midstream-liquid resource is adequately treated, removing or neutralizing impurities that hinder the critical-material extraction system 650. The critical-material-extraction-(CME) system 650 may include a material-retention system 652 to aggregate the metal-containing liquid-resource product and a midstream-release system 654 to remove the midstream-liquid resource from the system 600 once the desired metal has been extracted from the critical-material-extraction-(CME) system 650.

[0279] Turning now to FIG. 7. in some embodiments, the system 700 receives a midstream-liquid resource 702 that is untreated. Upon receiving the midstream-liquid resource 702, the midstream-liquid resource is exposed to a treatment or treatment regimen at the treatment station 710. The treatment station 710 may apply one or more of a chemical, biological agent, flocculants, surfactants, or coagulants to the midstream-liquid resource. In some embodiments, the treatment station 710 applies flocculants, non-limiting examples of which include polyacrylamide, polyethyleneimine, PolyDADMAC (Polydiallyldimethylammonium chloride), starch-based flocculants, or chitosan. Non-limiting classes of coagulants include poly aluminum chloride, aluminochlorohydrate, aluminum sulfate, ferric chloride, or sodium aluminate, among others. In some embodiments, the treatment station 710 applies surfactants, non-limiting examples of which may include ethoxylated nonylphenols, linear alkylbenzene sulfonates, alkyl sulfates, alky l polyglucosides, sodium laury l ether sulfate, and various other compounds.

[0280] Upon treatment of the midstream-liquid resource, the presence of impurities within the system 700 are. or sometimes must be, addressed to increase the likelihood of or ensure proper functioning of the critical-material-extraction-(CME) system 770. The removal of impurities may be accomplished within the impurity-removal station 720. In some embodiments, equipment of the impurity -removal station 720 may be collocated within the vicinity of each other, or connected through pipework. The nature of the untreatedmidstream-liquid resource received at the system 700 often requires multiple types of equipment to effectively remove impurities.

[0281] The system 700, as illustrated in FIG. 7, is designed to treat a midstream-liquid resource 702 by applying a comprehensive pre-treatment regimen to increase the likelihood of or ensure that the liquid resource is adequately prepared for critical-material extraction at the critical-material-extraction-(CME) system 770. The system 700 includes a treatment station 710 and an impurity-removal station 720, each equipped with various t pes of equipment selections tailored to address different impurities commonly found in untreated midstream-liquid resources.

[0282] The treatment station 710 is responsible for applying an initial pre-treatment regimen to the midstream-liquid resource 702. This treatment station 710 may incorporate various technologies to remove contaminants present in the liquid resource 702. For instance, the treatment station 710 may utilize equipment within an impurity-removal station 720. The impurity -removal station 720 may remove one or more of a biocide, flocculant, coagulant, and surfactant to reduce microbial activity, promote the aggregation of fine particles, and enhance the removal of suspended solids. These treatments condition the midstream-liquid resource 702 by stabilizing and / or reducing contaminants that could hinder subsequent purification and extraction processes.

[0283] Following pre-treatment at station 710, the midstream-liquid resource 702 is further processed at the impurity-removal station 720. In some embodiments, the impurityremoval station 720 houses one or more specialized equipment options, each tailored to remove classes of, and in some instances specific, impurities:

[0284] Organic-Removal Station 722: This station may include activated-carbon filters and membrane-filtration systems designed to remove organic compounds and residual chemicals from oil-recovery processes. These technologies can be essential for ensuring that organic pollutants do not interfere with the extraction of critical materials.

[0285] Chemical-Neutralization Station 724: This station can utilize chemicaloxidation units and ozone-treatment units to neutralize and break down chemical agents present in the midstream-liquid resource. Neutralizing these chemicals can be crucial for maintaining the efficiency of downstream extraction processes.

[0286] Solid-and-Residue-Removal Station 726: Equipped with coagulation units, flocculation units, and electrocoagulation units, this station effectively removes suspended solids, flocculated particles, and chemical residues. The removal of these impurities can bevital for preventing clogging and maintaining the integrity of the filtration systems used in subsequent stages.

[0287] Ion-Removal Station 728: These stations may employ ion-exchange systems and deionization units to remove dissolved ions and chemicals from the midstream-liquid resource. By reducing the ionic load, these stations prepare the liquid resource for the critical- materialextraction(CME) system 770.

[0288] Volatile-Organic-Compounds-(VOC)-Stripping Station 730: This station is designed to remove VOCs from the midstream-liquid resource using stripping towers and columns. The elimination of VOCs can be important to increase the likelihood of or ensure that these compounds do not volatilize during subsequent processing steps, which could pose safety’ and environmental concerns.

[0289] In some embodiments, the impurity-removal station 720 may include advanced membrane-filtration technologies such as tubular-membrane filtration 732, spiral-membrane filtration 734, flat-sheet-membrane filtration 736, hollow-fiber-membrane filtration 738, ceramic-membrane filtration 740, disc-tube-module filtration 742, ultrafiltration units 744. nanofiltration units 746, microfiltration systems 748, and cross-flow filtration systems 750. These membrane systems are particularly effective in removing fine particulates, dissolved solids, and other contaminants from the liquid resource. The choice of membrane technology’ depends on the specific characteristics of the midstream-liquid resource and the desired level of purity.

[0290] Once the midstream-liquid resource has been treated at the impurity’ removal at stations 710 and 720, it is sufficiently purified for the extraction of critical materials at the CME system 770. The CME system 770 then can isolate efficiently and concentrate critical metals, such as lithium, from the treated liquid resource, which can ensure high recovery rates and product purity.

[0291] In some embodiments, the treatment station 720 may include a monitoring system 760 and at least one system-automation subcomponent. The monitoring system 760 maytransmit a command to the subcomponent. In some embodiments, the treatment station 710 may include a sensor network 762, and at least one sensor 764. The sensor network 762 may be used to monitor a physical attribute of the midstream-liquid resource while the treatment regimen is being applied. In some embodiments, the sensed attribute may be at least one of a flow rate, pressure, temperature, conductivity, total dissolved solids, chemical concentration, elemental concentration. H2S concentration, and / or turbidity of the pre-treated midstream liquid resource. The at least one sensor 764 of the sensor network 762 may transmit dataindicative of the of the sensed attribute to the monitoring system 760. The monitoring system 760 may process received data from the sensor 764 and transmit a command either to further process the midstream-liquid resource or release the treated midstream-liquid resource to the critical-material-extraction-(CME) system 770.

[0292] In some embodiments, the impurity-removal station 720 includes specialized substations, each designed to address specific impurities present in the midstream-liquid resource 702. For example, the organic-removal station 722 may employ activated-carbon filters or membrane-filtration systems to remove organic compounds and chemicals used in oilrecovery processes. The chemical-neutralization station 724 may use equipment such as chemical-oxidation units or ozone-treatment units to neutralize and break down chemical agents within the midstream-liquid resource 702. Once the midstream-liquid resource 702 is chemically neutralized, in some embodiments, it is pumped to a solid-and-residue-removal station 726. In some embodiments, the solid-and-residue-removal station 726 may include several pieces of equipment specifically designed to remove one or more of coagulants, flocculants, suspended solids, flocculated particles, or chemical residues from the midstreamliquid resource 702. The solid-and-residue-removal station 726 may include coagulation units, flocculation units, and electrocoagulation units that effectively precipitate and aggregate small particles within the liquid resource, making these chemicals and their byproducts easier to remove. Once these substances are coagulated or flocculated, they can be further separated using devices such as a dissolved-air flotation (DAF) unit 748, a suspended-air flotation (SAF) unit 750, or a hydrocyclone 752, all of which are designed to separate lighter flocculated particles from the liquid resource by inducing buoyancy or centrifugal forces.

[0293] In some embodiments, the ion-removal station 728 might incorporate ionexchange systems and deionization units to extract dissolved ions and chemicals. For the removal of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), the VOC-stripping station 730 could employ stripping towers or columns to eliminate VOCs from the liquid resource.

[0294] Moreover, advanced filtration technologies are also integrated within the impurity-removal station 720. These technologies in some embodiments may include tubularmembrane filtration 732, spiral-membrane filtration 734, flat-sheet-membrane filtration 736, hollow -fiber-membrane filtration 738, ceramic-membrane filtration 740, and disc-tube- module filtration 742. These units are specifically designed to handle various filtration needs, including ultrafiltration units 744, nanofiltration units 746, microfiltration systems 748, and cross-flow-filtration systems 750. Each filtration system reduces contaminants, increasing thelikelihood or ensuring that the treated midstream-liquid resource is adequately prepared for critical material extraction.

[0295] The system 700 is further enhanced by the monitoring system 760, which includes a sensor network 762 with sensors 764 that monitor the physical qualities of the midstreamliquid resource 702. This monitoring can be crucial for ensuring that the impurity-removal processes effectively prepare the liquid for the CME system 770. For instance, sensors within the monitoring system 760 may measure the Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) and Oxidation- Reduction Potential (ORP) of the resource. Based on the sensor data, the system can adjust the operation of the impurity-removal station 720 to achieve a pre-treated liquid with a turbidity of less than twenty (20) Nephelometric Turbidity Units (NTU), Total Suspended Solids (TSS) of less than two hundred (200) mg / L, a positive ORP. and an iron content of less than five (5) mg / L. In some embodiments, clarifiers, centrifuges, media filters, sand filters, or sock filters may further polish the liquid resource by removing any remaining suspended solids or residues, and this can ensure that the midstream-liquid resource is free of these impurities before being passed on to subsequent processing stages, such as the critical- material-extraction-(CME) system 770.

[0296] FIG. 8 is a block diagram of the system 800 according to some embodiments. The system 800 improves or optimizes the extraction of desired metals, such as lithium, from a pre-treated midstream-liquid resource 802. The pre-treated midstream-liquid resource 802 enters the system 800, which includes three processing stations: a treatment station 810, an impurities-removal station 820, and a critical-material-extraction-(CME) system 850.

[0297] In some embodiments, the treatment station 810 of the system 800 receives the midstream-liquid resource from various sources, such as a pipeline, tank, or disposal site. In treatment station 810, a pre-treatment regimen is applied to the midstream-liquid resource. This regimen may include applying biocides, oxidizers, or other chemical treatments to reduce microbial activity' and prepare the resource for further processing. Non-limiting examples of biocides include hydrogen peroxide, ozone, chlorine, and glutaraldehyde. The pre-treatment process 810 can ensure the midstream-liquid resource 802 is in a suitable state for impurity removal and subsequent critical-material extraction. In another embodiment, the treatment station 810 receives a liquid resource 802, which may originate from wastewater from a midstream system, disposal-well fluid, water-recycling system, or a desalination system. Upon receipt, the liquid resource undergoes one or more treatments, which may include chemical, mechanical, biological, thermal, or electrochemical processes. These treatments are applied to separate the liquid resource into a retentate and a filtrate. Thetreatment station 810 reduces one or more of turbidity, total suspended solids (TSS), and other contaminants, thereby producing a pre-treated liquid resource suitable for further processing.

[0298] In some embodiments, the system 800 may include a solar heating component integrated within the treatment station 810 or the impurity removal station 820. The solar heating component may elevate the temperature of the midstream-liquid resource, thereby enhancing the efficiency of thermal-based treatment processes. For instance, solar heating could be applied prior to chemical treatment 810 to improve reaction kinetics or within the subsequent impurity -removal station 820 to facilitate the removal of certain impurities. The integration of solar heating offers an energy -efficient solution that supports the system’s 800 environmental sustainability while maintaining its operational effectiveness.

[0299] After pre-treatment, the midstream-liquid resource 802 enters the impurities- removal station 820. The impurities-removal station 820 further purifies the pre-treated liquid by removing residual impurities that could interfere with the subsequent critical-material- extraction process. The impurities-removal station 820 may include various subcomponents, such as a hydrogen-sulfide scrubber 822, media-filtration unit 824. activated-carbon filter 826, and iron-precipitation-removal unit 828. These units collectively target and eliminate different contaminants, including hydrogen sulfide, suspended solids, organic matter, and iron precipitates, increasing the likelihood or ensuring that the liquid resource is in a good or optimal state for critical-material extraction.

[0300] In some embodiments, the impurity-removal station 820 may include additional components such as an ammonia-absorption column. The ammonia-absorption column may be used to remove ammonia or other nitrogenous compounds from the midstream-liquid resource. The impurity-removal station 820 could operate within a chemical-neutralization station or as part of a broader chemical-treatment regimen. The use of an ammonia- absorption column can ensure that specific gaseous or dissolved impurities are effectively captured and neutralized before the liquid resource 802 undergoes further processing or is subjected to critical -material extraction within the CME system 850.

[0301] In some embodiments, the hydrogen-sulfide scrubber 822 removes hydrogen sulfide, a common contaminant in midstream-liquid resources 802. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) can have several detrimental effects on CME systems 850, such as lithium manganese oxidebased (LMO) sorbents used in Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) processes. ILS can react with the manganese in the LMO sorbent, leading to the formation of manganese sulfide(MnS), which diminishes the effectiveness of lithium absorption. This reaction can degrade the structural integrity of the LMO sorbent, reducing its efficiency and lifespan.

[0302] In some embodiments, the impurities-removal station 820 may include the mediafiltration unit 824. The media-filtration unit 824 may use different types of media to filter out suspended solids, organic matter, and other particulates. Non-limiting examples of media include sand media, granular activated-carbon (GAC), anthracite coal, zeolite, and crushed glass. In some embodiments, the impurities-removal station 820 may include activated- carbon filter 826. Activated-carbon filter 826 adsorbs organic compounds, residual chemicals, and other impurities from the midstream-liquid resource 802. In some embodiments, the impurities-removal station 820 may include iron-precipitation-removal unit 828. Iron-precipitation-removal unit 828 may target and remove iron precipitates, which can interfere with the efficiency of the critical-metal-extraction system 850. The impurities- removal station 820 can ensure that the midstream-liquid resource 802 is purified to the required standards, with reduced turbidity, lower levels of suspended solids, and a positive Oxidation-Reduction Potential (ORP) before entering the critical-material-extraction-(CME) system 850.

[0303] Once the midstream-liquid resource 802 has achieved a minimum required level of purification, it enters the CME system 850, where the desired metal is extracted. The CME system 850 includes a material-retention system 852 and a midstream-release system 854. The material-retention system 852 is responsible for retaining the targeted metal ions for extraction, while the midstream-release system 854 releases the treated liquid resource after the extraction process, which can ensure proper disposal or recycling of the remaining liquid. The material-retention system 852 is designed to capture and concentrate the desired metal from the liquid resource. Various extraction units may be used within the CME system 850, including one or more of an electrochemical extraction system 856, an ion-exchange unit 858, a resin 860, a membrane-filtration system 862, or a sorbent-based metal-extraction unit 870.

[0304] In some embodiments, the CME system 850 includes an electrochemical extraction system 856. The electrochemical extraction system 856 in the CME system 850 applies electrical currents to selectively extract metal ions from a solution. This process, known as electrochemical extraction, involves using electrodes to drive a redox reaction that separates metal ions from the treated midstream-liquid resource. The extracted metal ions are then deposited onto the electrode or converted into a recoverable form. This method is particularly useful for selectively extracting metals such as lithium, cobalt, or nickel fromcomplex solutions like those found in direct-lithium-extraction-(DLE) systems. Electrochemical extraction systems can be tuned to selectively target specific metal ions is supported by research into redox-mediated electrochemical processes and the manipulation of electrode potentials. These systems leverage controlled electrochemical environments to preferentially attract or repel ions, allowing for the selective recovery of desired metals while leaving others unaffected. For example, research demonstrates how tuning electrode potentials can enable the selective extraction of metals like lithium while minimizing interference from other ions in complex solutions. See 'Redox-mediated electrochemical liquid-liquid extraction for selective metal recovery ,' published in Nature Chemical Engineering (2024), availablethe contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.

[0305] In some embodiments, the electrochemical extraction system 856 might work alongside other systems, such as ion-exchange units 858 or sorbent beds 872, to enhance the overall extraction efficiency and purity of the desired metal. In some embodiments, the CME system 850 includes an ion-exchange unit 858. Ion-exchange units 858, may be used for lithium extraction. The selection of the ion-exchange resin(s) used by ion-exchange units 858 and its functional groups can be selected based on the specific metal ions present in the treated midstream-liquid resource, which can ensure that the ion-exchange unit 858 effectively isolates the desired metal while minimizing the extraction of non-target ions.

[0306] In some embodiments, the CME system 850 includes a resin 860. Resins 860 can be used to extract various metals from a treated midstream-liquid resource, including but not limited to lithium, magnesium, copper, nickel, or rare earth elements. The selection of resin 860 depends on the specific target metal and the characteristics of the liquid resource. For example, ion-exchange resins are effective for lithium and magnesium, while chelating resins may be preferred for metals like copper and nickel. The functional groups within resin 860 can be tailored to improve or optimize metal ion affinity and selectivity7, and this can ensure efficient isolation of the desired metal while reducing or minimizing interference from other ions in the solution.

[0307] In some embodiments, the CME system 850 includes a membrane-filtration system 862. The choice of membrane-filtration system 862 depends on the target metal and the required filtration precision. For instance, nanofiltration membranes may be used for lithium and magnesium, while ultrafiltration or reverse-osmosis membranes are effective for isolating copper and nickel metals. The membrane material and pore size can be configured or optimized to selectively allow the passage of certain metal ions while retaining others.which can ensure efficient extraction of the desired metal with minimal interference from non-target substances.

[0308] In some embodiments, the sorbent-based metal-extraction unit 870 includes a sorbent bed 872, where specific sorbents capture and concentrate the desired metal. Nonlimiting examples of sorbent compositions used in the sorbent bed 872 include but are not limited to lithium manganese oxide (LMO), a lithium manganese oxide (LMO)-type lithium ion-sieve (LIS), a titanate sorbent, or an aluminate sorbent. In some embodiments, the sorbent compositions used in the sorbent bed 872 may be doped with a doping agent. Non-limiting examples of doping agents include Mg2+, Sn2+, Zn2+, Al3+, Cr3+, Sn4+, Zr4. Ru4+, V5+, or Nb5+. The midstream release system 854 then vacates the treated liquid resource once the metal has been extracted, leaving behind a purified solution that is free of the targeted metals. This system 800 efficiently process midstream-liquid resources, removes impurities, and extracts valuable metals, such as lithium, from the liquid resource.

[0309] The foregoing disclosure provides illustration and description but is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the implementations to the precise form disclosed. Modifications may be made in light of the above disclosure or may be acquired from practice of the implementations. As used herein, the term “component” is intended to be broadly construed as hardware, firmware, or a combination of hardware and software. It will be apparent that systems and / or methods described herein may be implemented in different forms of hardware, firmware, and / or a combination of hardware and software. The actual specialized control hardware or software code used to implement these systems and / or methods is not limiting of the implementations. Thus, the operation and behavior of the systems and / or methods are described herein without reference to specific software code - it being understood that software and hardware can be used to implement the systems and / or methods based on the description herein. As used herein, satisfying a threshold may, depending on the context, refer to a value being greater than the threshold, greater than or equal to the threshold, less than the threshold, less than or equal to the threshold, equal to the threshold, and / or the like, depending on the context. Although particular combinations of features are recited in the claims and / or disclosed in the specification, these combinations are not intended to limit the disclosure of various implementations. In fact, many of these features may be combined in ways not specifically recited in the claims and / or disclosed in the specification.

[0310] Although each dependent claim listed below may directly depend on only one claim, the disclosure of various implementations includes each dependent claim in combination with every other claim in the claim set. No element, act, or instruction usedherein should be construed as critical or essential unless explicitly described as such. Also, as used herein, the articles “a” and "an" are intended to include one or more items and may be used interchangeably with ‘'one or more.” Further, as used herein, the article “the” is intended to include one or more items referenced in connection with the article “the” and may be used interchangeably with “the one or more.” Furthermore, as used herein, the term “set” is intended to include one or more items (e.g., related items, unrelated items, a combination of related and unrelated items, and / or the like), and may be used interchangeably with “one or more.” Where only one item is intended, the phrase “only one” or similar language is used. Also, as used herein, the terms “has,” “have,” “having,” or the like are intended to be open- ended terms. Further, the phrase “based on” is intended to mean “based, at least in part, on” unless explicitly stated otherwise. Also, as used herein, the term “or” is intended to be inclusive when used in a series and may be used interchangeably with “and / or,” unless explicitly stated otherwise (e.g, if used in combination with “either” or “only one of’).

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A system for treating a midstream-liquid resource and extracting critical materials, comprising: a) a treatment station, wherein the treatment station receives a midstream-liquid resource and applies a pre-treatment regimen to the midstream-liquid resource to produce a pre-treated midstream-liquid resource; and b) a critical-material-extraction (CME) system wherein the CME system further comprises: i) a material-retention system; and ii) a midstream-release system, wherein the material-retention system receives the pre-treated midstream-liquid resource and applies a material-extraction process to isolate a desired metal into a retentate from the pre-treated midstream-liquid resource and flow the filtrate to the midstream-release system.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein a pre-treatment station comprises an Above-ground storage tank (AST), frac tank, weir tank, flotation tank, clarifier, gunbarrel tank, holding pond, or serpentine pipeline.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein a pre-treatment station receives the midstream-liquid resource from desalination plant, produced-water recycling facility, saltwater-disposal facility, midstream-recycling facility, frac-water treatment plant, municipal- aste ater treatment plant, industrial-wastewater treatment plant, brine treatment facility, centralized treatment plant, evaporation pond, injection well, oilfield-water-handling facility, and mobile water-treatment unit.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the treatment station applies a pre-treatment regimen to the midstream-liquid resource to produce a pre-treated midstream-liquid resource, wherein the applied pre-treatment regimen further comprises at least one of a biocide, a flocculation, a coagulator, and a surfactant.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the biocide is at least one of a hydrogen peroxide, ozone, bubbled oxygen, nanobubbled oxygen, aeration, chlorine, chlorine dioxide, sodium hypochlorite, peracetic acid, potassium permanganate, or calcium hypochlorite.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the biocide is at least one of Glutaraldehyde, Quaternary Ammonium Compounds (QUATs), 2,2-Dibromo-3-nitrilopropionamide (DBNPA), Tetrakis(hydroxymethyl)phosphonium sulfate (THPS), isothiazolinones, formaldehyde, bromine, iodine, copper sulfate, or chlorhexidine.

2. The system of claim 4, wherein the flocculant is at least one of a polyacrylamide, polyethyleneimine. Polyacrylamide (PAM), Polyamines, PolyDADMAC(Poly diallyldimethyl ammonium chloride), Starch-based flocculants, or Chitosan.

3. The system of claim 4, wherein the coagulator is at least one of a polyaluminum chloride, aluminochlorohydrate, Polyaluminum Chloride (PAC), Aluminochlorohydrate, Aluminum Sulfate (Alum), Ferric Chloride, Ferric Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate. Sodium Aluminate, or Calcium Hydroxide (Lime).

4. The system of claim 4, wherein the surfactant is at least one of Ethoxylated nonylphenols, linear alkylbenzene sulfonates, alkyl sulfates, alkyl poly glucosides, sodium lauryl ether sulfate, sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate, alkylphenol ethoxylates, amine ethoxylates, betaines, or quaternary ammonium compounds.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the treatment station further comprises a tubularmembrane fdtration, spiral-wound-membrane filtration, or flat-sheet-membrane filtration.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the treatment station further comprises hollow-fiber- membrane filtration, ceramic-membrane filtration, disc-tube-module filtration, ultrafiltration units, nanofiltration units, reverse-osmosis systems, microfiltration systems, cross-flow filtration systems, or activated-carbon filtration.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the treatment station further comprises a biocideapplication station, wherein the biocide-application station further comprises at least one of a chemical-injection pump, a mixing tank, an injection manifold, or an automated- dosing system, wherein the biocide-application station applies the pre-treatment regimen to the midstream-liquid resource to produce a pre-treated midstream-liquid resource sufficiently oxidative to inhibit microbial growth.

8. The system of claim 7. wherein the treatment station further comprises a solid-removal station, the solid-removal station comprising at least one of a Dissolved Air Flotation (DAF) unit, a Suspended Air Flotation (SAF) unit, hydrocyclone, centrifuge, clarifier, media filter, sand filter, sock filter, or weir tank, wherein the solid-removal station reduces the amount of solids within the pre-treated midstream-liquid resource such that the midstream-liquid resource is sufficiently oxidative to inhibit microbial growth.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the biocide-application station further comprises an automated control system to monitor and influence a biocide dosage based on ORP values detected from at least one ORP sensor, wherein the automated control system further comprises at least one sensor feedback loop to activate operation of the at least one of thechemical-injection pump, mixing tank, and injection manifold, to apply the biocide to achieve a biologically sterile pre-treated midstream-liquid resource: and10. The system of claim 8, wherein the solid-removal station further comprises an automated fdtration-control system integrated with an automated filtration-control system to activate or modify a flow of midstream-liquid resource to at least one of the Dissolved Air Flotation (DAF) unit, Suspended Air Flotation (SAF) unit, hydrocyclone, centrifuge, clarifier, media filter, sand filter, sock filter, and weir tank based on a detected-solids content within the midstream-liquid resource.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the treatment station further comprises at least one of: a. an organic-removal station, the organic-removal station comprising at least one of an activated-carbon filter and a membrane-filtration system, wherein the organic- removal station removes at least one of organic compounds or a chemical used in an oil-recovery process; b. a chemical-neutralization station, the chemical-neutralization station comprises at least one of a chemical-oxidation unit and an ozone-treatment unit, wherein the chemical-neutralization station neutralizes and breaks down chemical agents present in a midstream-liquid resource; c. an ion-removal station, the ion-removal station comprising at least one of an ionexchange system and a deionization unit, wherein the ion-removal station removes at least one of ions or dissolved chemicals from the midstream-liquid resource; d. a solid-and-residue-removal station, the solid-and-residue-removal station comprises at least one of a coagulation unit, a flocculation unit, or an electrocoagulation unit, wherein the solid-and-residue-removal station removes at least one of suspended solids, flocculated particles, and chemical residues from the midstream-liquid resource; and e. a volatile-organic-compounds-(VOC)-stripping station, the VOC-stripping station comprises at least one of a stripping tower and a stripping column, wherein the VOC- stripping station removes volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from the midstreamliquid resource.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the treatment station further comprises a monitoring system and at least one system-automation subcomponent, wherein the monitoring system transmits a command to the subcomponent.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the treatment station further comprises:a. a sensor network, wherein the sensor network comprises at least one sensor to monitor a sensed attribute of the pre-treatment regimen, wherein the sensed attribute is at least one of a flow rate, pressure, temperature, conductivity, total dissolved solids, chemical concentration, elemental concentration, H2S concentration, or turbidity of the pre-treated midstream-liquid resource; b. a sensor transmitter wherein the at least one sensor of the sensor network transmits data indicative of the of the sensed attribute to the monitoring system; and c. a monitoring-system receiver, wherein the monitoring-system receiver processes the data indicative of the of the sensed attribute and transmits the command to the subcomponent based at least in part on the data indicative of the of the sensed attribute.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the material-retention system of the critical-material- extraction (CME) system further comprises a filtration system, wherein the filtration system sequesters suspended solids greater than one micron in diameter in a filtered retentate from the pre-treated midstream-liquid resource.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the filtration system is at least one of a hydrocyclone, a media filter, a ceramic filtration, a nanofiltration, a ceramic ultra-nano filtration, or a polymer-based membrane unit.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the critical-material-extraction system receives the pretreated midstream-liquid resource and sequesters a filtered retentate comprising one or more of a Suspended Solid (SS), oil, organic matter, a flocculant, a coagulant, a surfactant oil, hydrogen sulfide, or iron precipitant prior to passing the pre-treated midstream-liquid resource to a critical-material-extraction unit.

17. The system of claim 1. wherein the critical -material-extraction system receives the pretreated midstream-liquid resource and sequesters a filtered retentate comprising one or more of a flocculant, a coagulant, a surfactant, a biocide, hydrogen sulfide, or an iron precipitant prior to passing the pre-treated midstream-liquid resource to a critical- material-extraction unit.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the critical-material-extraction unit comprises at least one of: a. media-filtration unit, wherein the media-filtration unit sequesters at least one of flocculants or coagulants from the pre-treated midstream-liquid resource prior to passing the pre-treated midstream-liquid resource to a critical-material-extraction unit;b. an activated-carbon filter, wherein the activated-carbon filter sequesters at least one of organics, surfactants, or biocides from the pre-treated midstream-liquid resource prior to passing the pre-treated midstream-liquid resource to a critical-material-extraction unit; c. a hydrogen-sulfide scrubber, wherein the hydrogen-sulfide scrubber sequesters hydrogen sulfide from the pre-treated midstream-liquid resource prior to passing the pre-treated midstream-liquid resource to a critical-material-extraction unit; or d. an iron-precipitation-removal unit, wherein the iron-precipitation-removal unit sequesters iron precipitant from the pre-treated midstream-liquid resource prior to passing the pre-treated midstream-liquid resource to a critical-material-extraction unit.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the critical -material-extraction unit comprises at least one of a. an ion-exchange unit, wherein the ion-exchange unit extracts a desired metal from the pre-treated midstream-liquid resource; b. a sorbent bed, wherein the sorbent bed extracts a desired metal from the pretreated midstream-liquid resource; c. a membrane-filtration system, wherein the membrane-filtration system extracts a desired metal from the pre-treated midstream-liquid resource; d. an electrochemical extraction system, wherein the electrochemical extraction system extracts a desired metal from the pre-treated midstream-liquid resource; and e. a resin, wherein the resin extracts a desired metal from the pre-treated midstream-liquid resource.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the critical-material-extraction unit comprises at least one of a. an ion-exchange unit, wherein the ion-exchange unit is adapted to extract at least one of lithium, magnesium, or strontium from the pre-treated midstream liquid resource; b. a sorbent bed, wherein the sorbent bed is adapted to extract at least one of lithium, rare-earth elements (REEs), vanadium, or strontium from the pre-treated midstream-liquid resource;c. a membrane-filtration system, wherein the membrane-filtration system is adapted to extract at least one of bromine, boron, or lithium from the pre-treated midstream-liquid resource: d. an electrochemical extraction system, wherein the electrochemical extraction system is adapted to extract at least one of zinc, copper, or lithium from the pretreated midstream-liquid resource; and e. a resin, wherein the resin is adapted to extract at least one of lithium, potassium, or magnesium from the pre-treated midstream-liquid resource.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein the material-retention system of the critical-material- extraction (CME) system further comprises at least one of a coagulant dispenser, a flocculant dispenser, or an electrocoagulant dispenser.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the material -retention system further comprises a chemical-removal system, the chemical-removal system comprising at least one of: a. a media-filtration unit, wherein the media-filtration unit applies a treatment regimen to the pre-treated midstream-liquid resource to remove at least one of the dispensed flocculants or coagulants and their byproducts from the pre-treated midstream-liquid resource; b. a sand-filtration system, wherein the sand-filtration system applies a treatment to the pre-treated midstream-liquid resource to remove the dispensed flocculants and flocculant byproducts from the pre-treated midstream-liquid resource; and c. an ultrafiltration system, wherein the ultrafiltration system applies a treatment regimen to the pre-treated midstream-liquid resource to remove electrocoagulants and electrocoagulant byproducts from the pre-treated midstream-liquid resource.

23. A method for enhancing extraction of lithium from a liquid resource, the method comprising: a. receiving a volume of a midstream-liquid resource from a pipeline, tank, or disposal site; b. pre-treating the volume of the midstream-liquid resource wherein the treatment comprises applying a biocide to the volume of the midstream-liquid resource; c. applying a treatment regimen to the pre-treated fluid, wherein applying the treatment regimen further comprises: i. removing hydrocarbons, organic matter, hydrogen sulfide, ions, or suspended solids; and ii. performing critical-material extraction.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein applying the biocide to the volume of the midstreamliquid resource further comprises applying at least one of a. an oxidizer; b. glutaraldehyde; c. Quaternary Ammonium Compounds (QUATs); d. DBNPA (2.2-Dibromo-3 -nitrilopropionamide); or e. THPS (Tetrakis(hydroxymethyl)phosphonium sulfate).

25. The method of claim 24, wherein applying an oxidizer comprises applying at least one of hydrogen peroxide, ozone, bubbled oxygen, nanobubbled oxygen, carbon dioxide (CO2), aeration, chlorine, chlorine dioxide, sodium hypochlorite, peracetic acid, potassium permanganate, or calcium hypochlorite to the volume of the midstream-liquid resource.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein applying a treatment regimen to the pre-treated fluid further comprises at least one of: a. applying at least one of media filtration, cartridge filters, bag filters, disc filters, membrane filtration, activated carbon, dissolved-air flotation (DAF), suspended-air flotation (SAF), or a weir tank, and wherein removing hydrocarbons, organic matter, ions, or suspended solids further comprises applying at least one of a polyacrylamide (PAM), polyethyleneimine, polyamines, polyDADMAC (polydiallyldimethylammonium chloride), starch-based flocculants, chitosan, or another organic or inorganic flocculants: or b. removing precipitated emulsified or flocculated solids using media filtration, weir pond, cartridge filters, bag filters, disc filters, membrane filtration, activated carbon, dissolved-air flotation (DAF), suspended-air flotation (SAF), a weir tank, or a settling tank.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein pre-treating the volume of the midstream-liquid resource further comprises separating the volume of the midstream-liquid resource into a retentate and a filtrate has a turbidity of less than 20 Nephelometric Turbidity Units (NTU). Total Suspended Solids (TSS) of less than 200 mg / L, a positive Oxidation- Reduction Potential (ORP), and an iron content of less than 5 mg / L.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein pre-treating the volume of the midstream-liquid resource further comprises: a. altering at least one of a cationic constituency or an anionic constituency through the application of at least one of a media bed, an ion-exchange process, ceramic- or polymeric-membrane filtration; orb. creating a retentate through a desalination process wherein the resource is concentrated to a higher level of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) utilizing a membrane or thermal evaporation.

29. The method of claim 23, wherein applying a treatment regimen to the liquid resource comprises at least one of: a. a biocide, wherein the biocide is at least one of a hydrogen peroxide, ozone, bubbled oxygen, nanobubbled oxygen, carbon dioxide (CO2), aeration, chlorine, chlorine dioxide, sodium hypochlorite, peracetic acid, potassium permanganate, calcium hypochlorite, glutaraldehyde, Quaternary' Ammonium Compounds (QUATs), DBNPA (2,2-Dibromo-3-nitrilopropionamide); or THPS (Tetrakis Hydroxymethyl Phosphonium Sulfate); b. a flocculant, wherein the flocculant is at least one of a polyacrylamide, polyethyleneimine, Polyacrylamide (PAM), Polyamines, PolyDADMAC (Polydiallyldimethylammonium chloride), Starch-based flocculants, or Chitosan; c. a coagulatant, wherein the coagulant is at least one of a poly aluminum chloride, aluminochlorohydrate. Polyaluminum Chloride (PAC), Aluminochlorohydrate. Aluminum Sulfate (Alum), Ferric Chloride, Ferric Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Sodium Aluminate, or Calcium Hydroxide (Lime); d. a surfactant wherein the surfactant is at least one of polyethylene glycols (PEGs). alcohol ethoxylates, linear alkyl ethoxylates (LAEs), sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), octylphenol ethoxylates (OPEOs), nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEOs), alkyd polyglycosides (APGs), cocamidopropyl betaine, saponins, glycolipids, or rhamnolipids; or e. a natural or synthetic ion-exchange process wherein the ion-exchange process is at least one of zeolite, manganese greensand, synthetic resins, natural clay minerals, functionalized silica, or carbon-based ion exchangers.

30. The method of claim 23, wherein applying a treatment regimen to the pre-treated fluid further comprises removing one or more of remaining hydrocarbons, treatment chemicals from one or more prior treatment steps, organics, hydrogen sulfide, suspended solids down to Imicron, additional flocculant solids down to Imicron, cationic content, and anionic content.

31. The method of claim 23, wherein removing hydrocarbons, organic matter, ions, or suspended solids further comprises removing suspended or flocculated particles using atleast one of a dissolved-air flotation (DAF), a suspended-air flotation (SAF), a weir tank, media bed, membrane, centrifuge, clarifier, or a hydrocyclone.

32. The method of claim 23, wherein performing critical-material extraction further comprises at least one of ion exchange, absorption, membrane-based separation, solvent extraction, electrochemical extraction, selective precipitation, or a hybrid process combining two or more of the aforementioned processes.

33. The method of claim 23. wherein performing critical-material extraction further comprises: a. exposing the pre-treated fluid to a sorbent composition for a contact time, wherein the sorbent composition is one or more of a lithium manganese oxide (LMO), a lithium manganese oxide (LMO)-type lithium ion-sieve (LIS), a titanate sorbent, or an aluminate sorbent; b. removing a liquid from the sorbent composition after the contact time elapses; and c. rinsing the sorbent composition with a reagent to produce at least one lithium eluate, wherein rinsing the sorbent composition further comprises concentrating an initial lithium concentration of the at least one lithium eluate to a lithium-cycle concentration between 100 - 500 ppm per cycle, thereby forming a lithium product in solution.

34. A method for enhancing extraction of lithium from a liquid resource, the method comprising: a. receiving a volume of a pretreated midstream-liquid resource from a pipeline, a tank, a midstream recycling facility, or a desalination site, wherein the volume of the pretreated midstream-liquid resource has been treated with a chemical treatment regimen; b. removing at least one chemical treatment from the chemical treatment regimen from the volume of the pretreated midstream-liquid resource; c. applying a treatment to the pre-treated fluid, wherein applying the treatment further comprises at least one of: i. removing hydrocarbons, organic matter, hydrogen sulfide (H2S), ions, or suspended solids; or ii. performing critical -material extraction.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein removing hydrocarbons, organic matter, hydrogen sulfide, ions, or suspended solids from the pretreated volume of a midstream-liquid resource further comprises applying a mechanical treatment further comprising at least one of a media filtration, bag filtration, cartridge filtration, a ceramic filtration, ceramicultrafiltration, ceramic nanofiltration, a divalent-filtration system, membrane-filtration system, dissolved-air flotation (DAF), suspended-air flotation (SAF). weir tank, media bed, membrane, centrifuge, clarifier, and hydrocyclone.

36. The method of claim 34, removing a chemical excess within the received pre-treated volume of the midstream-liquid resource, the chemical excess comprising of at least one: chelating agents, friction reducers, corrosion inhibitors, scale inhibitors, demulsifies, paraffin inhibitors, hydrate inhibitors, pH adjusters, oxidizers, coagulants, flocculants, surfactants, anti-foaming agents, or any by-product produced from the chemical treatment.

37. The method of claim 34, wherein applying a treatment to remove hydrocarbons, organic matter, hydrogen-sulfide, ions, or suspended solids comprises of at least one of: a. a biocide, wherein the oxidizer is at least one of a hydrogen peroxide, ozone, bubbled oxygen, nanobubbled oxygen, aeration, chlorine, chlorine dioxide, sodium hypochlorite, peracetic acid, potassium permanganate, calcium hypochlorite, glutaraldehyde. Quaternary’ Ammonium Compounds (QUATs), DBNPA (2,2- Dibromo-3-nitrilopropionamide); or THPS (Tetrakis Hydroxymethyl Phosphonium Sulfate); b. a flocculant, wherein the flocculant is at least one of a polyacrylamide, polyethyleneimine. Polyacrylamide (PAM), Polyamines, PolyDADMAC(Poly diallyldimethylammonium chloride). Starch-based flocculants, and Chitosan c. a coagulatant, wherein the coagulant is at least one of a polyaluminum chloride, aluminochlorohydrate, Polyaluminum Chloride (PAC), Aluminochlorohydrate, Aluminum Sulfate (Alum). Ferric Chloride, Ferric Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Sodium Aluminate, or Calcium Hydroxide (Lime); d. a surfactant wherein the surfactant is at least one of polyethylene glycols (PEGs), alcohol ethoxylates, linear alkyl ethoxylates (LAEs), sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), sodium laury l sulfate (SLS), octylphenol ethoxy lates (OPEOs), nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEOs), alkyl polyglycosides (APGs), cocamidopropyl betaine, saponins, glycolipids, and rhamnolipids; e. a natural or synthetic ion-exchange process wherein the ion-exchange process is at least one of zeolite, manganese greensand, synthetic resins, natural clay minerals, functionalized silica, or carbon-based ion exchangers; and f. a mechanical treatment, wherein the mechanical treatment is at least one of a media filtration, cartridge filters, bag filters, disc filters, membrane filtration, activatedcarbon, dissolved-air flotation (DAF), suspended-air flotation (SAF), a weir tank or a settling tank.

38. The method of claim 34, further comprises polishing the pre-treated fluid, wherein polishing the pre-treated fluid removes one or more of remaining hydrocarbons, excess chemicals applied in a pre-treatment regimen, hydrogen sulfide, organics, suspended solids down to 1 micron, additional flocculant solids down to 1 micron, cationic content, or anionic content.

39. The method of claim 34, wherein performing critical material extraction further comprises at least one of ion exchange, absorption, membrane-based separation, solvent extraction, electrochemical extraction, selective precipitation, or a hybrid process combining two or more of the aforementioned processes.

40. The method of claim 34, wherein performing critical material extraction further comprises: a. exposing the pre-treated fluid to a sorbent composition for a contact time, wherein the sorbent composition is one or more of a lithium manganese oxide (LMO), a lithium manganese oxide (LMO)-type lithium ion-sieve (LIS), a titanate sorbent, or an aluminate sorbent; b. removing a liquid from the sorbent composition after the contact time elapses; c. rinsing a sorbent composition with a reagent to produce a lithium eluate; and d. concentrating an initial lithium concentration of the lithium eluate to a lithium cycle concentration between 100-500 ppm per cycle, thereby forming a lithium product in solution.

41. A system for enhancing the extraction of lithium from a midstream liquid resource, the system comprising: a. a pre-treatment station to: i. receive a volume of a midstream liquid resource from a pipeline or disposal site, wherein the midstream liquid resource comprises a turbidity of at least 100 Nephelometric Turbidity Units (NTU), a Total Suspended Solids (TSS) of at least 100 mg / L and at least one of a negative Oxidation-Reduction Potential (ORP) to up to +200mV or an iron content greater than 5mg / L; and ii. pre-treat the volume of the midstream liquid resource, wherein the treatment separates the volume of the midstream liquid resource into a retentate and a filtrate, wherein the filtrate is a pre-treated fluid with a turbidity of less than 20 Nephelometric Turbidity Units (NTU), Total Suspended Solids (TSS) of less than200 mg / L, a positive Oxidation-Reduction Potential (ORP), and an iron content of less than 5 mg / L; b. a filtration station to receive the pre-treated fluid, wherein the filtration station further removes impurities from the pre-treated fluid; and c. a direct lithium extraction (DLE) unit, the further comprising at least: i. a tank for mixing the pre-treated fluid containing lithium and a sorbent composition for a contact time, wherein the lithium is retained within the sorbent composition and substantially vacates the pre-treated fluid after the contact time elapses; ii. a rinse station, wherein the rinse station applies a fluid to the sorbent composition; and iii. a reagent station, wherein a reagent contained within the reagent station is applied to the sorbent composition, wherein the lithium substantially vacates the sorbent composition thereby forming a lithium product in solution.

42. The system of claim 41, the system further comprising a reverse osmosis station, wherein the reverse osmosis station receives the lithium product in solution and removes fluid from the lithium product in solution, thereby increasing a concentration of the lithium within a further concentrated lithium product in solution.

43. A method for treating a liquid resource, the method comprising: a. receiving a liquid resource from a midstream system at a separation unit; b. applying a treatment regimen to the liquid resource at the separation unit, wherein the treatment regimen comprises: i. applying at least one biocide; and ii. sequestering a retentate, wherein the retentate comprises at least one of hydrocarbons, salts, and suspended solids; c. separating the filtrate from the retentate and applying a filtrate treatment regimen to the filtrate, wherein applying the filtrate treatment regimen to the filtrate further comprises: i. applying an ion exchange process to the filtrate to remove hydrocarbons, organic matter, or ions; and ii. performing critical material extraction.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the separation unit is at least one of a weir tank, clarifier, a flotation tank, a suspended air flotation (SAF). a Dissolved Air Flotation (DAF), and a media bed.

45. The method of claim 43, the method further comprising: a. receiving a midstream fluid at a storage tank; and b. injecting a biological treatment into the midstream fluid; and c. separating the retentate from the filtrate, wherein the filtrate further comprises the liquid resource.

46. The method of claim 43, further comprising applying a chemical injection treatment or an electrolysis into the midstream fluid;47. The method of claim 46, wherein the chemical treatment is injected into the liquid resource.

48. The method of claim 43, wherein applying at least an oxidizing biocide further comprises injecting hydrogen peroxide, bleach, coagulants, or flocculants into the midstream fluid thereby initiating a liquid resource separation from hydrocarbons, salts, and suspended solids.

49. The method of claim 43, wherein the storage tank is a at least one of an above ground storage tank, a buffer tank, a frac tank, gun barrel tank, a tank at a saltwater disposal site, or a pond.

50. The method of claim 43, wherein performing critical material extraction further comprises: a. exposing the filtrate or retentate to a sorbent composition for a contact time; b. removing a liquid from the sorbent composition after the contact time elapses; and c. rinsing the sorbent composition with a reagent to produce at least one metal eluate.

51. A method for treating a liquid resource prior to critical material extraction, the method comprising the steps of: a. receiving at a filtration station at least one of a wastewater midstream system liquid resource, a disposal well liquid resource, a water recycling system liquid resource, and a desalination system liquid resource; b. applying a treatment to the liquid resource at the filtration station; c. separating from the treated liquid resource into a retentate and a filtrate; and d. processing the filtrate a second time;52. A method for treating a liquid resource prior to critical material extraction, the method comprising: a. receiving at a filtration station a liquid resource wherein the liquid resource is from at least one of wastewater from midstream system, disposal well fluid, water recycling system, or desalination system;b. applying at least one of a chemical, mechanical, biological, thermal, or electrochemical treatment to the liquid resource, wherein the treatment comprises separating the treated liquid resource into a retentate and a fdtrate at the filtration station; and c. applying a treatment to either the retentate or the filtrate, wherein applying the treatment further comprises at least one of: i. removing hydrocarbons, organic matter, ions, or suspended solutions; or ii. performing critical material extraction.

53. The method of claim 52, wherein the liquid resource is a produced w ater, midstream liquid resource, a geothermal brine, and a wastewater liquid resource.

54. The method of claim 52. wherein a filtration station is at least one of an above ground storage tank, a frac tank, a weir tank, a floatation tank, a clarifier, a tank, a separator, a gunbarrel tank, a holding pond, a frac pond, a retention pond, a pipe, a pipeline, or a serpentine pipeline.

55. The method of claim 52, wherein applying a treatment to the liquid resource further comprises applying at least one of an oxidizer, a flocculant, a coagulator, or a surfactant.

56. The method of claim 55, w herein the oxidizer is at least one of a hydrogen peroxide, ozone, bubbled oxygen, nanobubbled oxygen, aeration, chlorine, chlorine dioxide, sodium hypochlorite, peracetic acid, potassium permanganate, or calcium hypochlorite.

57. The method of claim 55. wherein the flocculant is at least one of a polyacrylamide, polyethyleneimine. Polyacrylamide (PAM), Polyamines, PolyDADMAC(Poly diallyldimethylammonium chloride), Starch-based flocculants, or Chitosan.

58. The method of claim 55, wherein the coagulant is at least one of a poly aluminum chloride, aluminochlorohydrate, Polyaluminum Chloride (PAC), Aluminochlorohydrate. Aluminum Sulfate (Alum), Ferric Chloride, Ferric Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Sodium Aluminate, or Calcium Hydroxide (Lime).

59. The method of claim 55, wherein the surfactant is at least one of polyethylene glycols (PEGs), alcohol ethoxylates, linear alkyl ethoxylates (LAEs), sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), octylphenol ethoxylates (OPEOs), nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEOs), alkyl polyglycosides (APGs), cocamidopropyl betaine, saponins, glycolipids, or rhamnolipids.

60. The method of claim 52, wherein applying a mechanical treatment further comprises at least one of a media bed. bag filtration, a sand media, a ceramic filtration, ceramicultrafiltration, ceramic nanofiltration, a divalent filtration system, or membrane filtration system.

61. The method of claim 52, wherein applying a treatment to the liquid resource further comprises a tubular membrane filtration, a spiral wound membrane filtration, or flat sheet membrane filtration.

62. The method of claim 52, wherein applying a treatment to the liquid resource further comprises an ion exchange process.

63. The method of claim 52, wherein applying a treatment to the liquid resource further comprises electrochemical process.

64. The method of claim 52, wherein the retentate is at least one of a flocculant, a surfactant, hydrocarbons, oil, grease, suspended solids, flocculated particles, emulsified oils, sediment and silt, particulate matter, organic and inorganic solids, bacteria and pathogens, colloidal particles, sludge, dense particulate matter, sand, metals, organic compounds, or charged particles.

65. The method of claim 64, wherein the retentate is a particle with an average size greater than one micron in diameter.

66. The method of claim 65, further comprising removing suspended or flocculated particles using at least one of dissolved air flotation (DAF), suspended air flotation (SAF), weir tank, media bed, membrane, centrifuge, clarifier, or hydrocyclone.

67. The method of claim 52. wherein separating from the treated liquid resource a retentate further comprises using at least one of a dissolved air flotation (DAF), suspended air flotation (SAF), a w eir tank, a media bed, a membrane, a centrifuge, or a hydrocyclone.

68. The method of claim 52, wherein separating from the treated liquid resource a retentate further comprises using at least one of clarifiers, sedimentation basins, sand filtration, multimedia filtration, activated carbon filtration, ultrafiltration, microfiltration, disc filters, electrostatic precipitators, ceramic filters, or lamella clarifiers.

69. The method of claim 52, wherein separating from the treated liquid resource a retentate and a filtrate, wherein the filtrate has an increased Oxidation-Reduction Potential (ORP).

70. The method of claim 52. wherein applying the treatment further comprises performing critical material extraction.

71. The method of claim 52, further comprising polishing the filtrate, w herein polishing the filtrate removes one or more of remaining hydrocarbons, treatment chemicals from one or more prior filtration steps, organics, suspended solids down to 1 micron, additionalflocculated solids down to 1 micron, cationic content, anionic content, or Total Dissolved Solids (TDS)72. The method of claim 71, wherein polishing comprises filtration wherein the filtration is at least one of a mechanical filtration, thermal filtration, electrochemical filtration, or chemical filtration.

73. The method of claim 71, wherein the filtration further comprises at least one of a media bed, ion exchange process, or a membrane.

74. The method of claim 73, wherein the media bed further comprises one or more natural materials, synthetic materials, activated glass, or inactivated glass.

75. The method of claim 74, wherein the natural materials further comprises granulated active carbon.

76. The method of claim 73, wherein the ion exchange process further comprises one or more zeolite, manganese greensand, and synthetic resins, natural clay minerals, functionalized silica, or carbon-based ion exchangers.

77. The method of claim 73, wherein the membrane further comprises one or more of ultrafiltration, nanofiltration. reverse osmosis, or divalent rejection membranes of polymeric or ceramic construction.

78. The method of claim 70, wherein performing critical material extraction further comprises subjecting the retentate or filtrate to an extraction process selective for at least one critical material and isolating the at least one critical material from the fluid.

79. The method of claim 78, wherein the critical material is lithium.

80. The method of claim 78, wherein the critical material is at least one of Magnesium, Potassium, Bromine, Boron, Calcium, Strontium, Rare Earth Elements (REEs). Vanadium, or Gallium.

81. The method of claim 52, wherein the extraction process comprises at least one of ion exchange, absorption, membrane-based separation, solvent extraction, electrochemical extraction, selective precipitation, a hybrid process combining two or more of the aforementioned processes, or any other process capable of selectively extracting the critical material from the fluid.

82. The method of claim 52, wherein performing critical material extraction further comprises a. exposing the filtrate or retentate to a sorbent composition for a contact time;b. removing a liquid from the sorbent composition after the contact time elapses; and c. rinsing the sorbent composition with a reagent to produce at least one metal eluate.

83. The method of claim 82, wherein the sorbent composition is one or more of a lithium manganese oxide (LMO), a lithium manganese oxide (LMO)-type lithium ion-sieve (LIS), a titanate sorbent, or an aluminate sorbent.

84. The method of claim 50, wherein removing a liquid from the sorbent composition after the contact time elapses further comprises: a. exposing the liquid to a doped sorbent composition for a second contact time, wherein the doped sorbent composition is doped with at least one of Mg2+, Sn2+, Zn2+, Al3+, Cr3+, Sn4+, Zr4+, Ru4+, V5+, and Nb5+; b. removing the liquid after the contact time elapses; and c. exposing the doped sorbent composition to an aqueous solution of HC1 or H2SO4to produce at least a lithium chloride eluate or a lithium sulfate eluate.

85. The method of claim 52, further comprising injecting nanobubble gasses into at least one of the liquid resource, the filtrate, the retentate, the liquid, or the reagent.

86. The method of claim 85, wherein the nanobubble gasses further comprises: a. a neutrally buoyant gas bubble, wherein the neutrally buoyant gas bubble has a diameter greater than 25 nanometers and less than 150 nanometers; and b. wherein the neutrally buoyant gas bubble is at least one of oxygen (O2) gas nanobubbles, carbon dioxide (CO2) gas nanobubbles, nitrogen (N2) gas nanobubbles, a plurality of electrochemically active gas bubbles, or air gas nanobubbles.

87. A lithium product comprising a lithium-rich solution with a low total dissolved solids (TDS) content, produced by a process comprising: a. receiving a midstream liquid resource, wherein the midstream liquid resource further comprises an initial TDS value, an initial lithium concentration, and at least one of coagulants, surfactants, flocculants, or hydrocarbons; b. applying a pre-treatment to the liquid resource to remove at least one of coagulants, surfactants, flocculants, or hydrocarbons, thereby reducing the initial TDS value to a first treated TDS value thereby producing a pre-treated liquid resource; c. reducing the initial lithium concentration of the pre-treated liquid resource by performing a direct lithium extraction (DLE) step to the pre-treatment liquid resource using at least one of an ion exchange or sorbent; andd. performing a post-elution rinse and concentrating the initial lithium concentration to a lithium cycle concentration between 100-500 ppm per cycle, thereby forming the lithium product.

88. The lithium product of claim 87, wherein the lithium-rich solution is at least one of a lithium chloride (LiCL) in solution, lithium carbonate (Li2COs) in solution, or lithium hydroxide (LiOH) in solution.

89. The lithium product of claim 87. wherein the lithium-rich solution is lithium chloride (LiCL) in solution or lithium sulfate Q^SCL) in solution.

90. The lithium product of claim 66, further comprising reacting lithium ions of the lithium- rich solution with carbonate ions to form lithium carbonate (Li2CC>3).

91. The lithium product of claim 87. wherein the midstream liquid resource has an initial TDS content range minimum of 1,230 and a maximum of 377,000 and at least one of Lithium, Rare Earth Elements (REEs), Iodine, Bromine, Magnesium, Calcium, Boron, Strontium, Potassium, Barium, Cesium, Rubidium, Germanium, Gallium, Tungsten, Vanadium, Cobalt, Nickel. Zinc. Manganese, Selenium, or a Platinum Group Metal..

92. The lithium product of claim 87. wherein the midstream liquid resource has an initial TDS content range minimum of 5,241 and a maximum of 366,666 and at least one of Lithium, Rare Earth Elements (REEs), Iodine, Bromine, Magnesium, Calcium, Boron, Strontium, Potassium, Barium. Cesium, Rubidium, Germanium, Gallium, Tungsten, Vanadium. Cobalt. Nickel. Zinc. Manganese, Selenium, or a Platinum Group Metal..

93. The lithium product of claim 87, wherein the midstream liquid resource has an initial TDS content range minimum of 60,950 and a maximum of 248,000 and at least one of Lithium, Rare Earth Elements (REEs). Iodine, Bromine, Magnesium, Calcium, Boron, Strontium, Potassium, Barium. Cesium, Rubidium, Germanium, Gallium, Tungsten, Vanadium, Cobalt, Nickel, Zinc, Manganese, Selenium, or a Platinum Group Metal..

94. The lithium product of claim 87, wherein the midstream liquid resource has an initial TDS content range minimum of 82,430 and a maximum of 184,622 and at least one of Lithium, Rare Earth Elements (REEs). Iodine. Bromine, Magnesium, Calcium, Boron, Strontium, Potassium, Barium. Cesium, Rubidium, Germanium, Gallium, Tungsten, Vanadium, Cobalt, Nickel, Zinc, Manganese, Selenium, or a Platinum Group Metal..

95. The lithium product of claim 87, wherein the midstream liquid resource has an initial TDS content range minimum of 60,000 and a maximum of 300,000 and at least one of Lithium, Rare Earth Elements (REEs). Iodine. Bromine, Magnesium. Calcium. Boron,Strontium, Potassium, Barium. Cesium, Rubidium, Germanium, Gallium, Tungsten, Vanadium, Cobalt. Nickel. Zinc. Manganese, Selenium, or a Platinum Group Metal..

96. The lithium product of claim 87, wherein the midstream liquid resource has an initial TDS content range minimum of 2,000 and a maximum of 140,000 and at least one of Lithium, Rare Earth Elements (REEs), Iodine, Bromine, Magnesium, Calcium, Boron, Strontium, Potassium, Barium. Cesium, Rubidium, Germanium, Gallium, Tungsten, Vanadium. Cobalt. Nickel. Zinc. Manganese, Selenium, or a Platinum Group Metal..

97. The lithium product of claim 87, wherein the midstream liquid resource has an initial TDS content range minimum of 120,000 and a maximum of 180,000 and at least one of Lithium, Rare Earth Elements (REEs). Iodine. Bromine, Magnesium, Calcium, Boron, Strontium, Potassium, Barium. Cesium, Rubidium, Germanium, Gallium, Tungsten, Vanadium, Cobalt, Nickel, Zinc, Manganese, Selenium, or a Platinum Group Metal.

98. The lithium product of claim 87, wherein the received midstream liquid resource further comprises a critical metal, wherein the critical metal is Aluminum, Antimony, Arsenic, Barite, Barium, Beryllium. Bismuth. Boron, Calcium, Cesium, Chromium, Cobalt, Fluorspar, Gallium, Germanium. Graphite (natural). Hafnium, Iodine, Indium, Lithium, Magnesium, Manganese, Nickel, Niobium, Platinum Group Metals, Potassium, Rare Earth Elements, Rhenium, Rubidium, Scandium, Selenium, Strontium, Tantalum, Tellurium, Tin. Titanium, Tungsten, Vanadium, Zinc, or Zirconium.

99. The lithium product of claim 87. wherein the initial lithium concentration is less than 200 ppm and the initial TDS value is between 50 and 250,000 TDS.

100. The lithium product of claim 87, wherein receiving a midstream liquid resource further comprises injecting an oxidizing agent, wherein the oxidizing agent results in an Oxidation-Reduction Potential (ORP) indicative of a bacteria-free midstream liquid resource.

101. The lithium product of claim 100, wherein injecting an oxidizing agent further comprises injecting at least one of sodium hypochlorite, hydrogen peroxide, Chlorine Dioxide (CIO2), Potassium Permanganate (KMnO4), Chlorine, or ozone.

102. The lithium product of claim 100, wherein the Oxidation-Reduction Potential (ORP) indicative of the bacteria-free midstream liquid resource is at least +200 millivolts (mV).

103. The lithium product of claim 87, wherein applying a pre-treatment to the liquid resource further comprises flowing the liquid resource through a filter.

104. The lithium product of claim 103, wherein the filter further comprises at least one of a media bed, ion exchange process, or a membrane.

105. The lithium product of claim 104, wherein the media bed further comprises one or more natural materials, synthetic materials, activated glass, or inactivated glass.

106. The lithium product of claim 105, wherein the natural materials further comprises granulated active carbon.

Images