One of the challenging issues with a complex problem is that the problem is not solved until the whole thing is solved.
One of the nice things about a complex problem is that you don't have to solve the whole thing at once in order to make progress toward a complete solution.
I don't know the state of the art on dealing with waste brine. If that is already deemed insoluble above a certain scale, then we better not invest in anything that exceeds that scale. On the other hand, if research into handling waste brine in sustainable ways is ongoing and making progress, then why not continue attacking the extraction problem?
The impossibility of perpetual motion is not a reason to shut down research into methods of making power production and power consumption more efficient.
Are you saying that dealing with the waste brine is impossible in any way, shape, or form and that this is a reason to not pursue desalination research?
I used to be municipal water treatment plant operator (Level 2). I'm well aware that treatment waste is something that must be dealt with in any plant that does more than just disinfection.
I already admitted to not being up on the state of the art, but I was under the impression that there are potentially viable methods of dealing with waste brine in environmentally sustainable ways. Perhaps not at a scale that allows literally every human to use desalination for all needs, but that there are cases where desalination is a good solution.
My curiosity has been piqued. I will, of course, start looking for resources on waste brine management, but any pointers you have will be much appreciated.