Lithium

The dreamed-of transition to a fully electric future within the next 10 years has sparked a worldwide race to mine and refine Lithium (Li), often called 'white gold' due to its high demand for rechargeable batteries, to fuel the transport of tomorrow. Lithium has had a clear impact in fields like transportation, particularly with the rise of the electric vehicle (EV) market.

Lithium (symbol Li and atomic number 3) is a soft, silvery-white alkali metal known for its extremely low density, high reactivity and strong electrochemical potential. It is a chemical element that at its purest takes the form of a soft silver metal. Present in more than 145 types of mineral ores, it is never found in its native metal form. Instead, it can be extracted from hard rock, as in Australia, or recovered by solar evaporation in large saltwater brine basins, as in the South American Andes – the simplest and cheapest method.

Lithium is part of the chemical group of alkali metals, which are so highly reactive that they are never found in their pure form in nature, only as compounds. Its reactivity is due to its electron configuration. Lithium has a single electron on its outer shell, known as a valence electron, which enables it to form a chemical bond when the shell is open. This means it can easily conduct heat and electrical currents.