Search results
Results From The WOW.Com Content Network
It does not occur freely in nature, but occurs mainly as pegmatitic minerals, which were once the main source of lithium. Due to its solubility as an ion, it is present in ocean water and is commonly obtained from brines. Lithium metal is isolated electrolytically from a mixture of lithium chloride and potassium chloride.
Naturally occurring lithium (3 Li) is composed of two stable isotopes, lithium-6 (6 Li) and lithium-7 (7 Li), with the latter being far more abundant on Earth. Both of the natural isotopes have an unexpectedly low nuclear binding energy per nucleon (5 332.3312(3) keV for 6 Li and 5 606.4401(6) keV for 7 Li) when compared with the adjacent lighter and heavier elements, helium (7 073.9156(4) keV ...
Lithium can also be extracted from hard-rock deposits. These deposits are most commonly found in Australia, the world's largest producer of lithium, [5] through spodumene ores. Spodumene ores and other lithium-bearing hard-rock deposits are far less abundant throughout the world than continental brines. [6]
Lithium is widely distributed in the lithosphere and mantle as a trace element in silicate minerals. [1] Lithium concentrations are highest in the upper continental and oceanic crusts. Chemical weathering at Earth’s surface dissolves lithium in primary minerals and releases it to rivers and ground waters.
Abundance (atom fraction) of the chemical elements in Earth's upper continental crust as a function of atomic number; [5] siderophiles shown in yellow Graphs of abundance against atomic number can reveal patterns relating abundance to stellar nucleosynthesis and geochemistry.
There is some evidence that lithium deprivation adversely affects multiple functions, especially fertility and adrenal gland function, in rats and goats, [21] and some plants accumulate lithium. [11] However, it is not known to be essential for any organism. There are medical uses, especially in treatment of manic-depressive symptoms. [11]
Spodumene is a pyroxene mineral consisting of lithium aluminium inosilicate, Li Al(Si O 3) 2, and is a commercially important source of lithium.It occurs as colorless to yellowish, purplish, or lilac kunzite (see below), yellowish-green or emerald-green hiddenite, prismatic crystals, often of great size.
Godshall et al. further identified the similar value of ternary compound lithium-transition metal-oxides such as the spinel LiMn 2 O 4, Li 2 MnO 3, LiMnO 2, LiFeO 2, LiFe 5 O 8, and LiFe 5 O 4 (and later lithium-copper-oxide and lithium-nickel-oxide cathode materials in 1985) [27] Godshall et al. patent U.S. patent 4,340,652 [28] for the use of ...