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Science & Tech.
Mahesh

30/06/22 14:02 PM IST

High-grade lithium has been discovered in Nigeria

In News 
  • High-grade lithium has been discovered in Nigeria.
Lithium 
  • Lithium is a soft, silvery metal. It has the lowest density of all metals.
  • It reacts vigorously with water. Lithium and most lithium minerals are mined along with other high-value metallic minerals such as tin, niobium-tantalum (columbite-tantalite), and uranium (in pyrochlore).
  • Greenbushes mine in Western Australia is the largest hard-rock lithium mine in the world. Global lithium mine production hit a record high of 100,000 tonnes in 2021, a 21 per cent increase over 2020 (82,500 tonnes).
  • Globally, the demand for Lithium has been increasing because of its vast application mainly as a Lithium-ion battery.
  • Lithium-ion batteries are generally more expensive but have better performance and are becoming the preferred technology.

The different types of Lithium-ion batteries commonly used are
  • Lithium-cobalt oxide battery. It is used in consumer electronics and is finding application in electric vehicles. It is relatively cheap.
  • Lithium-nickel-manganese-cobalt is a newer, higher performing range of battery chemistry. It is mainly developed for the electronic vehicle market but is finding a wider use because of its increasing cost effectiveness.
  • Lithium iron phosphate, the safest technology with relatively high performance but relatively expensive. It is very popular in China but is likely to become overtaken by Lithium-nickel-manganese-cobalt over the longer term;
  • Lithium-nickel-cobalt-aluminium oxide developed to reduce cobalt consumption and is known as a solid performer and of reasonable cost. It is also becoming popular outside China.
Status of India 
  • India imports almost all of its need for rare earth metals and of lithium, Cobalt (mostly from China)
  • India’s demand for these critical resources has risen 6 fold in the last five years as it tries to be the electronic and solar manufacturing hub
  • India’s first-ever Lithium deposit site was found in Southern Karnataka’s Mandya district
Source- DTE 

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