Occurrence
| Occurrence and Production of Lithium |
| Occurrence
|
| On Earth, lithium is widely distributed, but because of its reactivity does not occur in its free form. In keeping with the origin of its name, lithium forms a minor part of almost all igneous rocks and is also found in many natural brines. Lithium is the thirty-first most abundant element, contained particularly in the minerals spodumene (LiAl(SiO3)2), lepidolite ((KLi2Al(Al,Si)3O10(F,OH)2), petalite (LiAlSi4O10), and amblygonite ((Li,Na)AlPO4(F,OH)). On average, Earth's crust contains 65 parts per million (ppm) lithium. |
| Since the end of World War II, lithium metal production has greatly increased. The metal is separated from other elements in igneous mineral such as those above, and is also extracted from the water of mineral springs. |
| The metal is produced electrolytically from a mixture of fused lithium and potassium chloride. In 1998 it was about US$ 43 per pound ($95 per kg). |
| Chile is currently the leading lithium metal producer in the world, with Argentina next. Both countries recover the lithium from brine pools. In the United States lithium is similarly recovered from brine pools in Nevada. |