Lithium
The 21st century white gold in the energy transition
Discovered in 1817 by the Swedish chemist, Johan August Arfwedson, this white alkali is the softest (it can be cut with a knife) and lightest (it floats on water) metal known. It may very well become a strategic metal in our endeavours to achieve climate neutrality given its enormous capacity to store energy in a relatively small space. Which explains why it is a key component of lithium ion batteries for electric vehicles.
This soft and light metal possesses a key quality for energy transition: its capacity to store energy in a small space. Which explains why it is an essential material in electric vehicle batteries.
It is expected that by 2030 world demand will have quadrupled, which will see the current demand for 675,000 t of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) in 2022 rise to 2.7 million, according to Fastmarkets, the international agency that specialises in reports on precious metals and mining. The electric vehicle is driving and will continue to drive its growth.
