Mineral Facts and Problems: 1960 Edition Page: 477
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LITHIUM
SOURCES OF STATISTICS
The Bureau of Mines canvasses domestic
lithium mineral producers annually and pub-
lishes a chapter on lithium in the Minerals
Yearbook. Included in the chapter are data
on world lithium mineral production and, when
available, on exports from major producing
countries. These data are compiled from
foreign service dispatches and mineral pro-
duction reports of foreign governments.
PRODUCTION, CONSUMPTION, FOREIGN
TRADE
In 1954 (the latest year for which figures are
available) the domestic output of lithium min-
erals (including dilithium-sodium-phosphate)
was 37,830 tons. It has been estimated that
production since that time has increased.
TABLE 1.-Shipments of lithium ores and compounds
from mines in the United States
Year Li minerals Value Li0 Content
(short tons) (thousands) (short tons)
1945-49 (average) -------- -- 3,334 $259 312
1950_ _ ------------------------ 9,306 580 747
1951------------------------ 12,897 896 956
1952 ------------------------ 15,611 1,052 1,088
1953- ----------------------- 27, 240 2,134 1,767
1954__------------------------ 37,830 3,126 2,459
1955-57--------------- (1) (1) (1)
1958_ ---------------------- (2) (2) (2)
1 Data not available.
2 Figure withheld to avoid disclosing individual company confidential
data.
No canvass is made of the consumption of
lithium compounds, but the following estimates
of 1956 consumption have been made; all are
given in thousand pounds lithium carbonate
equivalent :
Canadian Chemical Mining
End use Mining and Engi- Business Engineer-
Journal neering Week ing
News
Lithium greases..........-------------.. 3, 000 3,000 3, 500 3, 500
Ceramics and glass...-----------2, 300 3, 000 3, 500 5, 000
Welding and brazing....--------_ 1,200 250 to 500 800 1,520
Air conditioning ------------- 1,500 400 800 1,100
Alkaline batteries------------ 650 250 600 600
Military and A.E.C--------- 1, 730 ---------- 36, 500 20, 000
Miscellaneous.......---------------- 300....................
Pharmaceuticals------------------------------ 500 250
Metallurgical- ---------------------------------------- 30
The American Lithium Institute sponsored a
survey of grease manufacturers in 1958. It
revealed that 72 percent of the grease manu-
facturers responding produced lithium-base
greases. The same survey estimated that by
1965 almost 42 percent of the domestic auto-
motive grease output will be lithium greases,
representing about 250 million pounds a year,which is almost double the 1955 output of 133
million pounds.3
Imports of lithium minerals are not sepa-
rately classified in foreign trade figures.
SELF-SUFFICIENCY
The United States, the largest producer and
consumer of lithium compounds, has an ade-
quate lithium reserve to sustain the industry
indefinitely. Although no figures are avail-
able, it appears from general knowledge of the
industry that plant capacities are large enough
to meet anticipated consumption demands.
Lithium Corporation of America processes
imported Canadian ores at its chemical plant;
however, should the Canadian supply be cut
off, this firm's holdings in the Black Hills and
Kings Mountain areas contain sufficient reserves
to sustain production.
Known domestic sources of lepidolite are not
large enought to furnish American Lithium
Chemicals' raw material needs. Spodumene,
however, could be substituted for a substan-
tial portion of the lepidolite as the raw material
at this operation.
STRATEGIC CONSIDERATIONS AND DE-
FENSE PROGRAM
Lithium compounds have several essential
uses in the defense program. It is not, how-
ever, on the list of strategic and critical ma-
terials to be acquired for the national stockpile.
The mines and processing facilities for this
commodity are fairly well dispersed through-
out the Nation.
PRICES
The principal lithium compounds, lithium
carbonate and lithium hydroxide, sell for about
67 and 72 cents a pound, respectively. Prices
on these two compounds and other lithium com-
pounds can be found in the issues of Oil, Paint
& Drug Reporter. Lithium mineral prices,
however, are seldom quoted in trade journals.
The September 1955 issue of Engineering &
Mining Journal gave the following prices on
lithium minerals, f.o.b. the mine (subject to
negotiation): Spodumene, 6 percent Li2, $11-
12 a short ton unit; amblygonite, $60-75 a short
ton; lepidolite, hand picked, $11-12 a short ton
unit; and petalite, hand picked, $11 a short ton
unit.
Lithium metal, 99.5 percent pure, was quoted
at $9 to $11 a pound in E&MJ Metal & Mineral
Markets.
The prices of the principal lithium com-
pounds have remained relatively stable during
the past 20 years, despite the financial inflation
that occurred during that period. Improve-
S Chemical Week. Grease Speeds Lithium's Production
Growth. Vol. 82, No. 15, Apr. 12, 1958, pp. 37-38, 40.477
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United States. Bureau of Mines. Mineral Facts and Problems: 1960 Edition, report, 1960; Washington D.C.. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc38790/m1/485/: accessed April 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.