Battery proliferation makes lithium a hot commodity
DOI: 10.1063/PT.5.029083
Christian Science Monitor : A lithium boom is expected in the coming decades as new applications for the so-called wonder material continue to multiply. A good conductor of heat and electricity, lithium is also extremely light. Over the past decade, it has been used extensively in smart phones, tablets, and laptops. But with the advent of electric vehicles, the demand for lithium will probably increase significantly. For example, the new Tesla Motors lithium-ion battery gigafactory, currently under construction in Nevada, will require some 15 000 tons of lithium carbonate a year. Although not a rare commodity, lithium comes mainly from three regions around the world: Nevada, the Atacama Desert in South America, and China. Whether supply will be able to keep up with demand remains to be seen.
