Research paper about Lithium
Introduction
Metal minerals are critical for the economic development and technological advancement. In the world, many minerals play an important part in easing and improving the development of new and advanced materials. Lithium mineral is an example of the mineral found in some various part of the world and is use in multiple applications in industries. This research paper majorly focuses on lithium production and manufacturing. It gives the brief history of mining and production of lithium, the countries, and companies that are well recognized for the mineral production. It also gives the industrial application of lithium. Furthermore, the paper discusses the history of Tibet and Bolivia lithium exploration process and the economic and political challenges they face.
Lithium is a chemical occurring element of atomic number 3. It is a soft silver-white metal that occurs as the lightest alkali metal. Lithium is a paramount mineral; the lithium salt is used in the wide range of industrial application. Lithium is found combined with other minerals. It does not occur independently as the mineral in nature. It is found in small amounts in almost all igneous rocks on the earth surface. They are also found majorly occurring in many mineral springs containing water. Lithium is usually contained in important minerals such as lepidolite, spodumene, amblygonite, and petalite. The mineral is produced from brines which yield lithium carbonate when treated with sodium carbonate (Jackson, 2007). It is majorly produced using electrolysis of molten potassium chloride and molten lithium due to its nature.
Lithium was first discovered by the Brazilian geologist Joze Bonifacio de Andralda e Silva in 1970 on the Swedish island of Uto. The lithium mineral petalite was the first to be discovered. In the research and the experimentation of the metal, it was found that the metal gave an intense crimson flame when thrown on fire. This discovery on the property of the mineral arose much interest, and many scientist and geologist involved them in the research of the mineral. In 1817, Johan August Arfvedson of Stockholm found that the mineral he was examining and analyzing contained substances that he called it lithium (Jackson, 2007). Johan was not able to separate the mineral by electrolysis method unlike what he did in sodium experiment. The scientist later realized that the new alkali metal (lithium) with lighter properties than sodium. William Brande in 1821 obtained a tiny amount of lithium, but the amount was not enough to use in making measurements. Later in 1885, the German chemist Robert Bunsen and the British chemist Augustus Matthiessen produced the mineral in the bulk of molten lithium chloride. These researchers carried out by the scientist enabled further discoveries on the lithium.
Lithium Producing Countries
The countries that produce significant amount of lithium in the world are as followed
Australia
Chile
Argentina
China
Zimbabwe
Portugal
Brazil
United States of America
Lithium Mining Companies
The Companies that dominates lithium mining and producing industry in the world are the following
Talison Lithium Limited. (TSX: TLH), which is a leading producer of lithium with projects in Australia and Chile.
FMC Corporation (FMC), which underwent a 30% expansion in their lithium division in 2012.
Sociedad Quimica y Minera (SQM)
Western Lithium (TSX: WLC; OTC: WLCDF.PK) and Lithium Americas (TSX:LAC), it is a mining company operating out of Nevada
Rockwood Holdings (ROC)
Primary Industrial Uses of Lithium
Lithium is an important mineral with a long variety of application in industries. The primary industrial use of lithium is as follows.
It is used in large scale in the manufacture of rechargeable batteries. These rechargeable batteries made from lithium are used in laptops, mobile phones, electric vehicles, digital cameras among other portable electric devices (Garrett, 2004).
Lithium is use in preparing special glasses and ceramics in form of lithium oxide
It is used in the manufacture of alloys with magnesium and aluminum hence increasing its strength and making it lighter.
Lithium carbonate salts are used in the large-scale manufacture of drugs used as mood stabilizers and to treat manic depression.
It is used in air conditioning (lithium chloride) and industries as a drying system in the form of lithium bromide.
It is also used in the manufacture of some non-rechargeable batteries used in toys, clocks, and heart pacemakers.
Lithium is used in manufacture of multi-purpose and high-temperature lubricant
Lithium hydride is used as a means for storing hydrogen for use as a fuel.
The uses of lithium have affected lithium mining in many ways. It has increased the demand for the mineral to meet the rising need of the metal in various industries. The increasing demand for the mineral has led to the extreme exploitation of the mineral thus leading to the environmental pollution. The primary consumers of lithium are smartphones and electric cars producing companies (Garrett, 2004). These companies are found in the develop countries which include China, Germany, France, and the United States among others. These companies, which have a high demand for the lithium, use them in the manufacture of batteries, alloys, air conditioners, ceramics, and lubricants among others. The following graphs show the usage and demand of lithium in various industries in different countries from 2002.
Tibet Exploration and Mining
Tibet contains one of the largest deposits of lithium in the world. The region holds the Chinese government and companies increasing demand for heavy metals. The exploration and the development of lithium metal in Tibet started due to the large demand of the mineral to meet the demand for electric cars and Smartphones. The process took place in Tibet Tibetan plateau region of China. It started in the 1960s when the Chinese geologist grossed checked the plains for the possible abundance of the mineral (Kogel, 2006). For several years, the geologist come across several plains and lakes, which were slowly drying up due to the climatic crisis and changes, which had lasted for several years. It was during this period that the geologist comes across lakes in western Tibet already dried with their beds shimmering with saltpan. In curiosity of the exploration process, the testing and examination of the salts were done, and the geologist discovered high concentration of lithium particularly in Lake Zabuye. The geologist approximately recorded measurements of unto 600 parts per million of lithium. Despite its discovery in the region, the mineral was not exploited (Tibet 2000: Environment and development issues, 2000).
The finding remained only known to a fewer number of the geologist. At the time, there was minimal demand for the mineral until later when the demand rose. In the 1980s, the interest of utilizing the salt of Tibet region arose and the government included it in its five-year plan. The mineral was largely mined for use in the manufacture of urea fertilizer and polyvinyl chloride. The political and economic challenges that complicate the development process of the lithium in Tibet are many. In Tibet, the process underwent financial crisis since the exploration process needed many resources to carry it out. The region was located in a region where there was the difficulty of accessing it. Development of railway and another transportation system was very costly. It requires many resources to establish Apart from economic issues, and the exploration process encounters political problems. Some of the politicians and government were against the development process thus challenging the industry.
Bolivia Exploration and Mining
Bolivia is believed to stores around 70% of the world’s lithium’s reserves. It is one of the largest deposits of lithium in the world. Bolivia deposits are located southwestern region and are estimated to be more than10, 000 square kilometer salt plain. In Bolivia, the exploration and development of the mineral reserve started when the Chinese and German companies arose interest of exploring and investing in rare metals used in smartphones and electric car batteries.
In Bolivia, there are more than five salts lakes with a potential concentration of lithium mineral. The estimate combination of the 20,000 square km filled with lithium (International Business Publications, 2005). There are many political and economic challenges complicate the development of this resource in Bolivia. Apart from environmental problems caused by exploitation process of lithium, economic and political challenges are facing the industry. The Bolivia exploration development processes experience a lot of economic and political challenge. The government lacks adequate finances to carry out the exploration process. Mining and production of lithium are very expensive (International Business Publications, 2005). Thus, it requires heavy investment. Furthermore, the country lithium industry experiences many political challenges. Some politician and government are in the exploration process. Contract issuance experiences many difficulties and corruption. Apart from these challenges, other social and environmental problems have faced the industry.
References
Jackson, T. (2007). Lithium. New York: Marshall Cavendish Benchmark.
International Business Publications, USA. (2005). Bolivia Diplomatic Handbook. Intl Business Pubns USA.
Kogel, J. E. (2006). Industrial minerals & rocks: Commodities, markets, and uses. Littleton, Colo: Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration.
Tibet 2000: Environment and development issues. (2000). Dharamsala.
Garrett, D. E. (2004). Handbook of lithium and natural calcium chloride: Their deposits, processing, uses and properties. Amsterdam: Elsevier Academic Press.
