When a new study suggested that vast quantities of the critical mineral lithium could be found in Pennsylvania’s fracking wastewater, Eureka Resources seemed perfectly positioned to take advantage of the frenzy of publicity that followed. In 2023, Eureka announced it had extracted 97 percent pure lithium carbonate from fracking wastewater. But just a year later, the wastewater treatment company has idled a facility, withdrew its permit application for a new project, intends to sell or close two more sites and faces scrutiny for environmental and workplace safety violations. For activists and experts who keep a close eye on the oil and gas industry, Eureka’s troubles raise doubts about the economic viability of using Pennsylvania’s fracking wastewater as a source for lithium, since Eureka is the only company in the state to successfully extract lithium from wastewater. It’s also the latest example of the problems created by a sprawling and under-regulated oil and gas waste disposal system. Oil and gas waste can contain radioactive elements like radium, toxic metals including arsenic and lead and cancer-causing chemicals like benzene. What happens to all of that waste - and how much of it ends up in the state’s waterways, air and soil - is still an unresolved question. Explore the latest news about what’s at stake for the climate during this election season. The Williamsport, Pennsylvania-based Eureka offered the possibility of processing the waste in a way that would address a separate problem: how to source the lithium essential for making renewable energy technologies like electric vehicles. The company has said it aimed “to develop a sustainable lithium supply chain in North America.” Billing itself as “an environmental solutions company,” Eureka says it’s “on a mission to leave a clean, wholesome environment for future generations.” On Aug. 19, Eureka’s Bradford County treatment plant at Standing Stone was inspected by... |