The growing demand for lithium batteries in various applications has increased lithium production from multiple sources, including ores, brines, and spent batteries. Traditional extraction methods such as mining and evaporation ponds have significant environmental risks, such as air pollution and loss of habitats for aquatic and terrestrial animals. Furthermore, they cannot meet the ever-increasing demand for lithium in the global market. Consequently, industries have been exploring rapid and sustainable lithium recovery methods from these sources. Similar to what shale did for oil industry, Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) represents a promising approach poised to enhance lithium production efficiency. This method not only reduces operation time but also brings added sustainability benefits. Various DLE methods have been proposed, such as adsorption, ion exchange, membranes, direct carbonation, and electrochemical processes. This paper comprehensively analyzes