The element Lithium is an extremely versatile metal, being used throughout different industries for a multitude of purposes, from medicines to consumer electronics. “Li” in the periodic table, this metal is incredibly light in weight, the lightest metal in the world (in its pure form), in fact. It is soft enough that it can be cut with a knife, has a density that allows it to float in water, and has the highest melting point of the all the alkali metals.
According to the Royal Society of Chemistry, Lithium was – arguably – discovered in 1790 by a Brazilian statesman in Sweden. José Bonifácio de Andrada found the mineral petalite in that year, but it wasn’t until 1855 that British chemist Augustus Matthiessen and German chemist Robert Bunsen finally separated lithium from the mineral, after Swedish chemist Johan August Arfwedson in 1817 discovered that the mineral contained the metal (but was ultimately unable to isolate it from the mineral).
Lithium can be found in rocks and within brine in water with high salt levels, such as in salt lakes and oceans. Demand for the metal has increased significantly in recent decades, with its properties making it highly desirable for use in consumer electronics, batteries, medicines, ceramics and much more.
The special, versatile and sought-after metal has a wide range of uses; it can be found in fireworks, giving them their bright colors; in lubricants, serving to thicken solutions; and in rocket propellants, helping to provide explosive reactions.
We are committed to economical extraction while meeting the ever growing demand for lithium
Currently, Argentina is home to the third-largest reserves of lithium, with an estimated 45% to 50% of the reserves, importantly, economically extractable