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Rincon Salar Argentina - Markets |
Lithium Compounds
The manufacturers of lithium carbonate from brines are dominating the supply market due to their cheaper production costs compared to the costs associated with the extraction process of spodumene from pegmatite rocks.
Lithium compounds which are usually derived from lithium carbonate, lithium hydroxide or lithium chloride are used in a wide range of ceramics and glass, primary aluminum production, lubricants, greases, building material and concrete applications, textiles , rocket propellants, continuous casting powders, air conditioning, silver solder, batteries and medicine manufacturing.
Lithium chloride is one of the most hygroscopic (soluble) materials known, and it, as well as lithium bromide, is used in air conditioning and industrial drying systems.
Lithium Cobalt Oxide and Lithium Flurohexaphosphate are both used in the manufacture of dry cells and storage batteries.
Lithium carbide is used for the treatment of bipolar disease and other mental illness conditions.
The major market for lithium compounds is the USA followed by China, Taiwan and Japan, then Europe. There are over 80 different lithium compounds being sold. These include lithium compounds like butyl lithium, organo-lithium compounds and inorganic lithium salts. There are hundreds of manufacturers consuming lithium chloride and lithium carbonate compounds.
The 2006 US Geological Survey reports:
Domestic Production and Use: Chile was the leading lithium chemical producer in the world; Argentina, China, Russia, and the United States were also major producers. Australia, Canada, and Zimbabwe were major producers of lithium ore concentrates. The United States remained the leading consumer of lithium minerals and compounds and the leading producer of value-added lithium materials. Because only one company produced lithium compounds from domestic resources, reported production and value of production data cannot be published. Estimation of value for the lithium mineral compounds produced in the United States is extremely difficult because of the large number of compounds used in a wide variety of end uses and the great variability of the prices for the different compounds.
The use of lithium compounds in ceramics, glass and primary aluminum production represented more than 60% of estimated domestic consumption. Other major end uses for lithium were in the manufacture of lubricants and greases, primary and secondary (rechargeable) batteries, and in the production of synthetic rubber.
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| Salient Statistics - United States |
2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
2005e |
| Production |
W |
W |
W |
W |
W |
| Imports for Consumption |
1,990 |
1,920 |
2,200 |
2,910 |
3,310 |
| Exports |
1,480 |
1,620 |
1,520 |
1,690 |
1,020 |
|
| Consumption: |
| Apparent |
W |
W |
W |
W |
W |
| Estimated |
1,400 |
1,100 |
1,400 |
1,900 |
3,000 |
|
Net import reliance as a percentage of apparent consumption 50% 50% 50% >50% >50%
Recycling: Insignificant, but growing through the recycling of lithium batteries
Import Sources (2001-04): Chile, 77%; Argentina, 20%; and other, 3%
As only one company produced lithium compounds from domestic resources, reported production and value of production data cannot be published.
The use of lithium compounds in ceramics, glass, and primary aluminum production represented more than 60% of estimated domestic consumption. Other major end uses for lithium were in the manufacture of lubricants and greases, primary and secondary (rechargeable) batteries and in the production of synthetic rubber.
World consumption of lithium is difficult to estimate but it could be as high as 100,000 tonnes of Lithium Carbonate equivalent. The world's largest producer from brines produces around 28,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate. Significant end product manufacturers are located in USA, China, Korea, Japan and Germany.
Lithium Batteries and Lithium Ion Battery Markets
The difference between Lithium batteries and Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries is that most Lithium batteries are not rechargeable but Li-ion batteries are rechargeable. From a chemical standpoint, Lithium batteries use lithium in its pure metallic form. Li-ion batteries are designed to be recharged hundreds of times. Lithium polymer batteries employ a new gel-type electrolyte to provide power to the most demanding application in the handheld device world.
Business Communications Study reports in its 2004 study of the lithium battery market in the USA that the rechargeable secondary lithium battery market was approximately US$1,410 million in 2002 but should grow to more than US$2.1 billion by 2009.
China and Taiwan are the largest producers of lithium ion batteries. The most promising application is in the use of cars. CEO, Linda Ho told MSNBC.com in September 2004 that the battery maker, ThunderSky had caught the attention of a French carmaker. Lithium ion batteries, Ho added, break the "bottleneck" that had plagued electric vehicles, noting that ThunderSky's bus has a range of 180 miles and a recharge time of just three hours. The company has also developed an electric scooter with a 95-mile range, 60 mph top speed and a 90 minute recharge time, she said. Plans are to partner with a scooter maker and sell it for around $2,200.
Future Applications
The most interesting applications that will require large amounts of lithium compounds being developed are the use of lithium metals in cars to make them lighter, energy production and in pharmaceuticals.
Potassium Chloride and Potassium Sulphate
Used as the base for agricultural fertilizer.
Sodium Sulphate
Used as a vital ingredient in the manufacture of detergents, including domestic laundry detergents.
Is Lithium-ion the ideal battery?
…lithium-ion has won the limelight and has become the most talked-about battery. It's the fastest growing and most promising battery chemistry of today…
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