Which commercially valuable elements can be recovered from seawater?

Seawater is a significant reservoir of dissolved minerals and chemical elements, though it is currently underutilized due to the relative ease of terrestrial mining and the high costs of marine extraction technology.1

The most commercially valuable elements and compounds recovered from seawater include:

• Magnesium: Seawater is a primary industrial source of this metal, which is extracted through processes such as electrolytic reduction.23
• Bromine: Large quantities of bromine are obtained from ocean water, typically through chemical displacement (oxidation) using chlorine.43
• Sodium Chloride (Common Salt): Table salt is widely produced by the evaporation of seawater, often in large, solar-powered shallow ponds.53

In addition to these elements, seawater serves as a vital source of fresh water through desalination, a process increasingly used in arid regions to address water shortages. While seawater contains other constituents—such as potassium, calcium, and sulfate—the aforementioned substances represent the most significant commercial extractions from the marine environment.365