<p>With the rapid growth in energy storage demand, lepidolite is emerging as the third major source of lithium extraction after brine and spodumene. However, the environmental impacts of lithium extraction from lepidolite remain unclear. This study employs a life cycle assessment (LCA) approach to establish a cradle-to-gate evaluation framework covering the entire process from lepidolite ore mining to lithium carbonate production. The results indicate that the environmental impact of lithium extraction from lepidolite is significantly higher than that from spodumene. Specifically, the endpoint environmental impacts in the categories of human health, ecosystem quality, and resources are 6.23 times, 7.84 times, and 21.61 times greater, respectively. The beneficiation stage accounts for 76.83% of impacts on human health and 81.06% on ecosystems, while the lithium carbonate production stage contributes 86.64% to resource consumption. Key factors influencing environmental impact include electricity, diesel, sulfuric acid, and other raw materials and energy sources. Sensitivity analysis shows that lithium extraction from lepidolite is highly sensitive to the lithium oxide content in the ore and the electricity mix. Increasing the lithium oxide content in lepidolite ore to 0.8% can reduce the overall environmental impact of Land use by up to 34%. Furthermore, as the electricity structure becomes greener, the global warming potential could be reduced to 21% of the current level. Techno-economic analysis indicates that increasing the market price of lithium carbonate and adopting resource recovery measures can significantly improve the economic viability of lithium extraction from lepidolite. This study provides a new perspective for understanding the environmental impacts and economic benefits of lithium extraction from lepidolite.</p> Graphical Abstract <p></p>