We love lithium in Prospect Resources, and we are so passionate about producing this magical and powerful mineral. And here we have put together a few reasons why we think you should love lithium too:
1. It is light like air (not really, but almost)
With a density of about half that of water, lithium is the lightest mineral and stores power without adding a lot of weight. Lithium-ion batteries provide the same or more power compare to the lead-acid alternatives, makes it a more flexible approach for applications where weights could be a concern, and installation of devices considerably easier.
2. It is high in energy density
Lithium-ion batteries have some of the highest energy densities as a lot of energy can be stored in lithium’s atomic bonds; research has claimed lithium-ion batteries can deliver three times the voltage of nickel-based counterparts. The next-generation lithium batteries could ditch the graphite and replace it with lithium metals to increase the power output. In simple terms, doubling the use of lithium could double the range of Electric Vehicles today.
3. We all use it – a lot
Thanks to its unique characteristics, lithium is found in all sorts of products, from batteries to shock-resistant glass, cosmetics, and medications as raw material. It is very reactive and can be made into many kinds of chemical compounds.
4. It is needed for your Sunday roast
The lithium present inside petalite helps to reduce thermal expansion. When applied in glass and ceramic products, crystals that contain lithium contract when they are heated instead of expanding like the residual glass or ceramic body makes it an essential element for kitchen appliances like oven and cooktops.
5. It works in mysterious but often good ways for the human body
We acquire low levels of lithium frequently through tap water, which lithium can naturally occur. Research has found that lithium deficiency can decrease the reproductive system, life span, and lipid metabolism, and it might help mental disorders by increasing the activity of chemical messengers in the brain. It is needed for other functions in the body, like the development of blood cells. But to-date, exactly how lithium works in human’s body in totality is unknown. Schott Glass, one of the largest specialty glass manufactures with over 125 years of experience once said, “the periodic table of chemical elements does not yet have a replacement to offer for special lithium element” as lithium ion is small and highly polar to fit into the crystal of the glass-ceramics product perfectly.
Schott Glass, one of the largest specialty glass manufactures with over 125 years of experience once said, "the periodic table of chemical elements does not yet have a replacement to offer for special lithium element" as lithium ion is small and highly polar to fit into the crystal of the glass-ceramics product perfectly.
As one of the oldest elements on earth, lithium has been and will be used to address some of the biggest challenges in modern society today and tomorrow. We all know that the future will hardly function without lithium.
And the bonus? It can be strikingly pretty.
