The search for lithium, a key ingredient used to build batteries for electric vehicles, is underway by Imperial Oil Ltd. and E3 Lithium, which are piloting an Alberta development in a well first drilled by the Calgary producer in 1947.

alberta lithium map

Imperial, majority owned by ExxonMobil, said Thursday the C$6.35 million ($5 million) investment in Calgary-based E3 Lithium involves a three-well program to test a proprietary method of extracting the critical mineral from brine in the Leduc oilfield.

Efforts are underway to find a commercially viable way to extract lithium from the produced water that accompanies natural gas and oil production.

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E3 CEO Chris...