Lithium

Content maintained by Roy Towner

• Lithium
• Resources
• Exploration
• Production
• World Resources
• Industry Developments

Lithium (Li) is recovered from the mineral spodumene (Li₂O.Al₂O₃.4SiO₂) and lithium-rich brines. It is used in a range of products such as ceramics, glass, batteries and pharmaceuticals. Lithium use has expanded significantly in recent years as a result of increasing use in rechargeable batteries for portable electronic devices such as mobile phones, computers and rechargeable power tools as well as in batteries and electric motors for hybrid and electric cars.

Lithium produced from the Greenbushes mine in southwest Western Australia (WA) has been used in the production of specialty glasses, glass bottles, ceramics and ceramic glazes. Its ore also is a feedstock for the production of lithium carbonate used in the chemical industry. These chemical industry uses include greases, aluminium production, air conditioning systems and catalysts.

Australia's Economic Demonstrated Resources (EDR) increased by 180% in 2008 to 584 kilotonne (kt) of lithium. The bulk of Australia's lithium resources are in the Greenbushes spodumene deposit, 250 kilometres (km) south of Perth, WA. It is the world's largest and highest grade spodumene deposit. All of lithium EDR is accessible for mining.

In 2008, subeconomic resources, all in the submarginal category, total 25 kt accounting for 4% of total Demonstrated Resources. Inferred Resources amounted to 25 kt. Western Australia accounts for all the Subeconomic and Inferred Resources.

There are no statistics available on exploration expenditure for lithium, however only a few companies are exploring for lithium in WA and Qld.

According to the WA Department of Mines and Petroleum, the Talison Minerals' Greenbushes operation produced 239 528 tonne of spodumene concentrate in 2008, containing between 4.8% and 7.5% Li₂O.

Based on United States Geological Survey (USGS) estimates for 2008, which have been modified by Geoscience Australia for Australia's resources, world lithium resources totalled 4514 kt, although the resource data does not include some important producing countries such as Argentina and Portugal. According to the USGS, of the total world resources, Chile holds approximately 3000 kt, followed by Australia with 584 kt, China with 540 kt, Brazil with 190 kt and Canada with 180 kt.

Lithium resources occur in two distinct categories, lithium minerals and lithium-rich brines. Canada, China and Australia have the most significant resources of lithium minerals while lithium brine is produced predominantly in Chile, followed by Argentina, China, Russia and the USA. Lithium brines are the dominant feedstock for lithium carbonate production.

World production in 2008 was estimated by the USGS to be 27 kt of contained lithium, excluding the USA production for commercial reasons. Based on the USGS data, Chile produced 12 kt to remain the world's largest producer in 2008 followed by Australia, China and Argentina.

The demand for lithium is forecast to grow as a result of the increased use of rechargeable batteries in electronic devices and the development of lithium-ion batteries to power hybrid and electric cars.

In the wake of this increasing demand, Talison Minerals Pty Ltd is upgrading the high and low grade sections of its lithium minerals processing facility at Greenbushes mine, WA. The company's lower grade spodumene is exported to China where it is converted into a range of lithium chemicals. The higher grade spodumene is exported to Europe, Asia and the USA where it consumed by the glass, ceramics, steel, and foundry industries. The Greenbushes mine has a spodumene capacity of 250 000 t/year.

Galaxy Resources Ltd is at an advanced stage of developing its Mount Cattlin lithium project (hard-rock spodumene) near Ravensthorpe, WA. The project encompasses a mine and processing plant, which will produce 137 000 t/year of 6% Li₂O spodumene concentrate. The company plans to commence production during third quarter 2010. Galaxy Resources proposes to build a downstream lithium carbonate chemical facility in Jiangsu Province, China, which will produce 17 000 tonne per annum (tpa) of lithium carbonate. The Mount Cattlin deposit has a reported JORC-compliant resource of 14.4 million tonnes with average grade 1.08% Li₂O and 153 parts per million Ta₂O₅ containing an estimated 155 000 tonne of lithium oxide (Li₂O) and 219 000 tonne of tantalum pentoxide (Ta₂O₅).