Lithium as a reproductive toxin

Lithium as a reproductive toxin

Subject: Geography

Section: Economic Geography

Context: European Union proposal to classify the lithium as a reproductive toxin could severely hurt Europe’s burgeoning electric-vehicle industry

• Proposals refer to lithium carbonate, hydroxide and chloride.
• Lithium widely used in EV industry, pharmaceuticals, industrial lubricants and specialty glasses
• Proposal may stigmatize use of the materials and cut investment in the EV sector
• Lithium does not occur as metal in nature but is found combined in small amount in nearly all igneous rocks and in the water of many mineral springs
• Spodumene, petalite, lepidolite, and amblygonite are the more important minerals containing lithium
• Metal is produced by the electrolysis of molten lithium chloride and potassium chloride
• Australia,Chile, China and Argentina are the world’s top for them producing countries
• Argentina Bolivia and Chile form lithium triangle
• India’s first lithium plant has been set up at Gujarat in 2021
• lithium (Li), chemical element of Group 1 (Ia) in the periodic table, the alkali metal group, lightest of the solid elements.
• It is a soft, silvery-white alkali metal.
• Under standard conditions, it is the lightest metal and the lightest solid element.
• Like all alkali metals, lithium is highly reactive and flammable, and must be stored in vacuum, inert atmosphere or inert liquid such as purified kerosene or mineral oil.
• When cut, it exhibits a metallic luster, but moist air corrodes it quickly to a dull silvery gray, then black tarnish.
• It never occurs freely in nature, but only in (usually ionic) compounds.
• Due to its solubility as an ion, it is present in ocean water and is commonly obtained from brines.
• Lithium metal is isolated electrolytically from a mixture of lithium chloride and potassium chloride.
• Lithium takes an active part in many reactions with organic and inorganic reactants. It reacts with oxygen to form monoxide and peroxide.
• Metallic Lithium reacts extremely vigorously with water.
• It has high specific heat which is the calorific capacity.
• It has very low density and low viscosity.
• Lithium is found only in salts and minerals.

Applications of lithium

• Lithium and its compounds have several industrial applications, including heat-resistant glass and ceramics, lithium grease lubricants, flux additives for iron, steel and aluminium production, lithium batteries, and lithium-ion batteries. These uses consume more than three-quarters of lithium production.
• Lithium is present in biological systems in trace amounts; its functions are uncertain. Lithium salts have proven to be useful as a mood stabilizer and antidepressant in the treatment of mental illness such as bipolar disorder.
• Bromine and lithium chloride together form concentrated brine which absorbs the humidity under high temperature. Brine is used in the manufacturing of air conditioning systems.
• Alloys of the metal with manganese, cadmium, copper, and aluminium are used to make aircraft’s parts.

Lithium triangle

• Lithium Triangle is an intersection of Chile, Bolivia and Argentina, known for high quality salt flats.
• Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia, Salar de Atacama in Chile and Salar de Arizaro in Argentina contains over 45%of known global lithium reserves.
• Beneath Salar de Uyuni, the world’s largest salt flat lies the world’s greatest lithium deposits.
• Bolivia, one of South America’s poorest countries, envisions development by harvesting lithium on an industrial scale from underground saltwater brines.
• It can be mined from rock or processed from brine.
• Lithium dissolved in underground saline aquifers called “brine”, pumped to surface by wells and then allowed to evaporate in vast knee-deep ponds.