tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27954921.post4747190302417117376..comments2023-10-22T02:01:14.457-07:00Comments on Sufiy.: Lithium: Alternative energy: The lithium deficit TNR.v, SQM, WLC.v, CLQ.v, CNY.v, TTM, BYD, GM, F, HUI, XAU, OIL, OIHSufiyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01415300512698208401noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27954921.post-34973148519484673262009-04-21T08:31:00.000-07:002009-04-21T08:31:00.000-07:00I would like to add to the comments of Mr. Edward ...I would like to add to the comments of Mr. Edward Anderson on the subject of lithium availability.<br />An update of a National Research Council Report prepared in the 1970's estimates global reserves and resources of lithium of approx. 30 million tonnes (equivalent to approx. 160 million tonnes of lithium carbonate, the principal feedstock for the lithium used in lithium ion batteries).<br />These estimates were used by both FMC and Chemetall in their presentation at a recent lithium conference in Chile but SQM, the thrid major chemical producer used the higher figure of 190 million tonnes of carbonate (35.7 million tonnes Li). Chemetall also pointed out that reserves and resources at current and proposed operations total 74 million tonnes of carbonate. <br />With lithium ion battery demand being 0.6 kg per kWh, one million tonnes of recovered lithium is sufficient for about 550 million Chevrolet Volts.<br />Chemetall also pointed out that at a battery cost of 500 Euro per<br />kW/h the carbonate cost in the battery is less than 1% of the total cost. <br />If, therefore, sources with production costs higher than at current operations have to be developed to meet a massive increase in demand the impact on battery costs will be minimal.<br />Mr. Anderson is also correct in his comments on the Salar de Uyuni. The resource has a low concentration of lithium, the brine has a high magnesium content which complicates recovery and net evaporation rates are significantly lower than at the Salar de Atacama in Chile, currently, the world's leading source. <br />Despite all the journalistic hype surrounding its possile development ("The Saudi Arabia of Lithium" etc.) it contains only one eigth of the currently known resources.Keith Evansnoreply@blogger.com