Lithium was discovered by Swedish chemist J. A. Arfwedson in 1817. With only three protons in its atomic nucleus, it is one of the lightest elements in existence. Its unusual configuration of its three electrons allows it to bind to other elements easily, making it highly flammable. In fact, dropping pure lithium in a bucket of water would cause an explosion, but pure lithium is rarely found in nature.
These same properties make lithium a good conductor for electricity and heat. Lithium is also used in nuclear research and as a component in some types of nuclear weapons. It can also be used as an additive for certain types of fuel for rockets and missiles. The largest known sources of lithium are in Chile, Australia, Bolivia, Argentina, and China. It is sometimes found in ocean water and some plants and sea plankton. In recent years, an increasingly reliable source of lithium has been isolating it from within brines.
During World War II, lithium grease was used as a lubricant for some aircraft engines because of its ability to work at high temperatures. Lithium is also used to produce certain types of ceramics and glass, particularly some types of ovenwares.
Lithium is also the primary ingredient in a common antidepressant. Because of this, lithium was an ingredient in 7-Up until the 1940s. Several cities had natural sources in lithium in their water or had lithium added, a process called lithiation. Cities with lithiated water often reported lower rates of crime and suicide. However, cities reconsidered these policies and stopped the practice in the 1940s. Since the 1950s, mental health professionals have commonly prescribed it to treat depression, bipolar disorder, and other conditions.
Today, lithium hydroxide and lithium peroxide are used in air purification systems in outer space and in submarines. Lithium peroxide is also used for emergency oxygen candles for these as well. Because lithium burns with a red color, it is sometimes used to make red fireworks.
Its use in batteries has made lithium the subject of renewed focus. As the electric car grows in popularity, lithium demand grows with it. Its unique electron configuration makes it ideal for use in electricity and led to the creation of the lithium-ion battery. These batteries can produce more power than the traditional lead or zinc batteries and had a longer lifespan. And it makes far easier to recharge, something that was difficult for other kinds of batteries.
NASA developed the first lithium battery in 1965, but the forerunner of the modern lithium-ion battery emerged in 1974. By the 1990s, it had been perfected. It began to be used in products as simple as children’s toys to cell phones and then electric cars. One Texas scientist, Dr. John B. Goodenough of the University of Texas, helped make the new battery come to life. The discovery and many uses of the lithium-ion battery led the 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry to be awarded to Goodenough, French scientist Rachad Yazami, and Japanese chemist Akira Yoshino.
Geologists discovered a major lithium vein curving from western Mississippi into Arkansas and across East Texas. These finds combined could yield untold riches and important business investments for the region over time. While deposits in North Carolina, Nevada, and Wyoming have gained attention, the fields across East Texas could be a billion-dollar find by itself, with the lithium available potentially as valuable as the oil fields of the region of a century before.
The soft metal had been laying quietly under the Earth for millions of years, part of the geologic landscape of the region. For its many uses, it could potentially power the future.
