Discovery of high grade lithium in Nigeria

Tags: International News

Recently high grade lithium has been discovered in Nigeria.

• Lithium

• Lithium is an element and is abundantly concentrated in nature in two minerals, spodumene and lepidolite.

• They are usually found in special rocks called rares and greases.

• The Geological Agency described lithium as high grade because it is found with an oxide content of 1–13%. Exploration usually starts at a low of 0.4%.

• Lithium has an atomic number of 3 and an atomic mass of 6.941.

• It is the lightest known metal.

• USE

• Lithium disilicate (Li2Si2O5) is a chemical compound from which glass and ceramic objects are made.

• Lithium metal is used to make useful alloys.

• Lithium is used in rechargeable batteries for mobile phones, laptops, digital cameras and electric vehicles.

• ADDITIONAL INFORMATION -

• The Greenbush mine in Western Australia is the largest hard-rock lithium mine in the world.

• The largest importers of lithium are South Korea, China, Japan, the United States and Belgium.

• Recent surveys by researchers from the Directorate of Atomic Minerals (under the Atomic Energy Commission of India) have estimated the presence of lithium reserves of 14,100 tonnes in a small stretch of land in southern Karnataka's Mandya district.