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Science Forum Index » Energy - Hydrogen Forum » Peak Lithium ?
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| Pluto |
 Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 5:10 am |
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The new question is "Where do we get the lithium?"
In a story in the Toronto Star, William Tahil, research director with Meridian
International Research asserts that there isn't enough lithium available to mine to
support the world's 900 million vehicles. Evidently most of the known supplies of
lithium are in South America, in Argentina, Chile and Bolivia, potentially making them
the new OPEC. Bolivia alone may have fifty percent of the world's metal lithium
reserves.
Production of 60 million PHEVs with smaller lithium batteries than would be needed for a
full EV would require 420,000 tonnes of lithium every year, which is six times the
current production level. So it looks like any potential savings from mass producing
lithium batteries, could easily get negated and then some just by increasing demand
driving up raw material costs.
Tahil proposes that battery research should be more focused on technology that uses more
common metals like nickel and zinc. The article mentions sodium nickel chloride (Zebra)
batteries and zinc air batteries. The Zebra batteries apparently tolerate cold and hot
temperatures well, something lithium batteries generally don't. It looks like we need to
start looking past lithium even before it gets established. |
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| Don Lancaster |
| Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 1:00 pm |
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Pluto wrote:
Quote: The new question is "Where do we get the lithium?"
In a story in the Toronto Star, William Tahil, research director with Meridian
International Research asserts that there isn't enough lithium available to mine to
support the world's 900 million vehicles.
Huh?
Lithium is among the most abundant of minerals.
50 parts per million in plain old rock.
Seawater evaporation is one easy production method as well.
http://www.webelements.com/webelements/elements/text/Li/index.html
--
Many thanks,
Don Lancaster voice phone: (928)428-4073
Synergetics 3860 West First Street Box 809 Thatcher, AZ 85552
rss: http://www.tinaja.com/whtnu.xml email: don@tinaja.com
Please visit my GURU's LAIR web site at http://www.tinaja.com |
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| AZ Nomad |
| Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 1:48 pm |
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On Wed, 31 Jan 2007 10:00:49 -0700, Don Lancaster <don@tinaja.com> wrote:
Quote: Pluto wrote:
The new question is "Where do we get the lithium?"
In a story in the Toronto Star, William Tahil, research director with Meridian
International Research asserts that there isn't enough lithium available to mine to
support the world's 900 million vehicles.
Quote: Huh?
Lithium is among the most abundant of minerals.
50 parts per million in plain old rock.
50ppm is not abundant. |
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