Lithium renewable future

Dubbed the ‘white gold’ of the future for its essential role in the development of electric vehicles, lithium is a unique metal with a range of fascinating properties. Read on to learn how it’s used, where it’s mined and what the future holds for this one-of-a-kind metal.

Unique properties

Pure lithium is so soft it can be sliced with a butter knife. It is the lightest metal and has the lowest density of any metal, allowing it to float in water. Shiny and grey in appearance, lithium flares bright crimson when thrown into fire. This flashy reaction was in fact how the first lithium petalite was discovered by Brazilian mineralist Jozé Bonifácio de Andralda e Silva in the 1790s on the Swedish island of Utö. It took until 1855 for someone to isolate the metal entirely: British chemist Augustus Matthiessen and German chemist Robert Bunsen were able to do so by running a current through lithium chloride to separate the element. Modestly named from the Greek word lithos, meaning ‘stone’, lithium has become one of the most important commodities of our future – a key metal supporting our transition to a sustainable and digital future.

A variety of uses

What do batteries, mental health and fireworks all have in common? They can all be improved by lithium.
 
It’s safe to say the era of electric vehicles is upon us, with predictions that two-thirds of Australians will be driving electric cars by 2028. Lithium batteries are strongly favoured in the electric vehicle industry, offering double the capacity of non-lithium batteries, in addition to faster charging capabilities, longer life and a safer and lighter alternative to other metals. Continued improvements to lithium-ion batteries mean they are likely to continue dominating the market: they are now 30 times cheaper, and far more efficient, than when they first came to market in the early 1990s as small portable batteries. In addition to electric vehicles, lithium batteries are used extensively for portable electronic devices, such as computers, mobile phones and rechargeable power tools.