| LITHIUM has a rare combination of unique
physical and chemical properties. It is the
lightest of all solids, softer than lead and has
the smallest ionic radius of all the alkalies. It
is because of such unique properties that within
the last three decades lithium has become a
chemical of major importance in quite a few
industries. Products containing lithium in some
form or other are used in our daily life, ranging
from bath tubs to television tubes and from ·
multipurpose lubricants to cosmetics. As a result
of its ever increasing uses consumption of the
various lithium ores and chemicals has been
increasing rapidly and greater uses are predicted
for the future. The approximate distribution of
lithium chemicals by end-uses is as given below1• |
