Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh are hoping their discovery can help domesticate lithium production in the Keystone State.

That discovery, lithium in the wastewater of Marcellus Shale gas wells, a byproduct of hydraulic fracking, where high water pressure breaks weak area in the rock formation--the backflow of that water contains metals, including lithium, which is extracted from the wastewater.

"About 1,000-1,200 metric tons of lithium that we could be extracting per year from this otherwise wastewater.", said Dr. Tom Jordan, an adjunct professor at Youngstown State University.

Jordan says self-source the production of the chemical element, as opposed to outsourcing the work to countries like China, Chile and Argentina.

Data suggests that the region alone could meet up to 40 percent of the demand in the United States.

Researchers believe that the region alone could meet up to 40 percent of the country's lithium needs. Ian Lange, an associate professor of economics at the Colorado School of Mines believes the market is too saturated for a new producer to compete.

"If somebody might enter that market and be able to sell a product, the Chinese producers just drop the price until you say 'hey, this isn't worth it anymore'.", he added.

That paired with established lithium deposits in the U.S. would make it a hard sale for new buyers.