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Democracy is a device that ensures we shall be governed no better than we deserve - GBS
Lithium supply in danger
WHEN WE THINK of electric cars, we usually think of greener energy and saving the environment – yet now boffins are saying that these vehicles could come at significant cost to the environment.
The type of batteries used for electronic gadgets such as laptops, are the very same as those proposed for electric and plug in hybrid cars – lithium ion batteries.
Due to the amount of lithium ion batteries needed to supply the growth in demand, boffins are concerned that there will soon be a shortage of the metal.
Matthew Nordan, president of Lux Research says that it is a big concern as, “You can solve the transportation problem but end up creating an equally vexing commodity problem."
Production of lithium has increased since the 1990s to meet the demand for batteries in power tools and consumer electronics showing an increase in the price also, which is why plug-in cars are more expensive.
Even if this concern is not as great as worriers think – it does highlight a section of alternative energy not often observed – securing the supply of natural resources.
Lithium is extracted from "salt flats" where a briny liquid is pumped out from beneath the surface and dried in the sun – the dried product contains lithium carbonate used to make pure lithium.
The concern is not just about running out of this all important substance which we simply couldn’t survive without, it’s also keeping some up at night worrying whether or not supplier will be able to keep up with the increasing demand.
William Tahil of Meridian International Research said in an interview that, "The point is that electric cars are supposed to be environmentally friendly and there are many other materials such as zinc and iron... which don't require any more environmental degradation than has already been done".
So, if you fancy something else to panic about, then lithium can be your subject of choice – what will we do? µ
L'Inq
Cnet
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It's all about iron air batteries supposedly rechargeable.
Looks like its time to start either working on feasible deep crust mining or astroid mining.
Don't worry. There's a lot of lithium on earth's surface. We'll have to find more sources but it's no big deal. The whole reason we don't have a lot of sources now is because we've never needed a lot of sources. Plus, recycling of batteries is pretty effective. Some environmental degradation will occur to mine these new sources but it's not so much.
Try this instead: revolttechnology.com
Just cos I don't know what I'm talking about doesn't mean stop lissening!
when in panic just eat some lithium. it will lighten up your mood!
If I don't get 1000mg lithium carbonate a day I'm on another (not very nice) planet. So fek your Car, Mobile phone and laptop....... My moile? er I'm gunna run it on fermented yack wizz. Or I'll get an Iphoney (jebus makes them and they run on his tears for the poor.)
You just force the not super-rich to walk, see, there's always a solution.
...then take a look at the world's reserves of Tin and Antimony. They're practically precious metals if you compare the occurence in the earth's crust. They are the basis of lead-free solders and in many industrial processes / coatings the use of tin is irreplacable.
time they made something even better!

I want my nanorrific super capacitors that can hold the same charge at 1/10 the size while fully charging in 3 seconds flat...
Of course, we could actually outlaw these desperately environmentally *unfriendly* full- and hybrid-electric vehicles rather than grant harmful tax breaks to those who use and promote them. Then legislate for the use of the new generation of petrol engines (better mpg than current diesels and with less toxic emissons, will be out in a couple of years) and that cars should be lightweight-flywheel hybrids. No heavy metals, no motors, no batteries. Lighter, more efficient, cheaper, better driveability, easier to retro-fit, not an environmental disaster ... just vastly better all round than electric hybrids. See the F1 Flybrid KERS system for an example.
the problem is not the lack of resources, it is the surplus of greed.
People interested in the tonnages of lithium in pegmatites, brines, hectorites and jaderites should read 2 papers on www.worldlithium.com
How about recycling?
Scrap electronics will become quite valuable before long I bet. People are considering landfill mining even.
Lead acid batteries (the standard ones used in all cars) are now being improved so they will work with hybrids. Australian researchers have developed a lead acid battery called the "UltraBattery" that will last for hundreds of thousands of kilometres and cost a fraction of the price of Nickel Metal Hydride or Lithium Ion batteries.
If only Doctor Manhattan was here...
Australia has all the materials in the world come down under for all the lithium you need. we even have all the uranium the world needs etc etc etc.
I wonder if the group/person who came up with this 'we are nearly out of lithium!!!1!!11' story was also the same person who wrote 'y2k is the death of us all!!!!1!!11' as well as 'greenhouse effect/global warming/climate change will be the death of us all!!!1!!11'?

I bet it is.
Lithium is also useful to treat people suffering from manic-depressive, aka bipolar disorders.

So we might end up with a silent and clean car with a stark raving mad driver at the wheel.
Well, the stark raving mad driver could chew on a LiPo battery out of his trunk to mellow out.
some recent research suggested that the total CO2 emissions of making a Prius and it's lifetime fuel usage was greater than a fossil fuel 4x4 made in country of use and driving the same miles. lithium requires lots of processing and toyota ship the parts round the world more than twice in total miles.

i want to see air cars, not very efficient yet but very simple with no rare elements and vast room for improvement

or algee or fungus fuel

keep the batteries for laptops and there will be plently left for many years
For a critique of Tahil´s arguments, see my two articles published by EVWORLD.COM: 
1) http://www.evworld.com/article.cfm?storyid=1457; and 
2) http://www.evworld.com/article.cfm?storyid=1480
I fully agree with the idea of recycling: depletion of natural resources is a concern indeed and therfore, as from the design phase, we have to think in terms of recyclability.
The technology to recycle Li from Li-ion batteries exists.
It seems pretty simple to me. Just build tons of heavy water plants and I'm sure that the power plants we don't have will be happy to provide all the lithium you'll ever need.
Heck, imagine all the antienvironmentalists protesting fusion power because it's way more dangerous than coal ash!
(Too bad that fusion power is vaporware ATM)
..are the new petrol!
Compressed air cars are a better idea.(http://mdi.lu/english/) Compressors could be powered by solar generated electricity.
No petrol, no batteries.