For years, Pennsylvanians debated the merits of Marcellus Shale drilling. Some thought it would lead to a financial boom, while others feared it would come at a huge cost to the environment. Now, a decade later, new research shows a Marcellus Shale drilling by-product could be the key to energy independence in the future.The National Energy Technology Laboratory is an arm of the United States Department of Energy. Located outside of Pittsburgh, its mission is to help the U.S.
He used water samples collected by the DEP from well operators to take a closer look at exactly what the water picked up. His analysis found that there was lithium in the water and lots of it. 'We were astonished at the amount of lithium that we found,' Mackey said. According to his research, the wastewater from wells in Pennsylvania alone would supply up to 40% of the lithium the U.S. currently imports.