HARRISBURG (TNS) — Pennsylvania could become a massive contributor to the United States’ quest for lithium after scientists discovered a large reservoir of the chemical element in fracking wastewater outside of Pittsburgh, multiple reports said.

The lithium reservoir – which is large enough to account for about 40% of the country’s demand – was discovered while crews at the Marcellus Shale gas wells were fracking for natural gas, according to LiveScience and Scientific Reports.

“We just didn’t know how much was in there,” Justin Mackey, a researcher at the National Energy Technology Laboratory, told LiveScience.

Lithium, is used in batteries and components in smartphones, laptops, smartwatches and other electronic devices, LiveScience said. Increasing demand for lithium has caused prices to skyrocket approximately 500% annually, the story said.

But Australia, Chile and China currently produce 90% of the world’s lithium. The only active lithium mine in the U.S. is located in Nevada, although more mining operations are set to open in Nevada, California and North Carolina, the LiveScience story said.

Both fracking and lithium mining cause environmental impacts as well, releasing carbon dioxide into the Earth’s atmosphere and contaminating soil with chemicals, the story said. However, if fracking wastewater can produce lithium, it could limit the need for additional lithium mines.

Mackey told LiveScience wastewater from fracking is typically considered useless. But the discovery of lithium in the water, and the fact lithium can be extracted from the byproduct with 90% efficiency, means companies could put fracking waste to good use.