HISTORY

• Lithium was discovered by Johan August Arfvedson at 1817 in Stockholm, Sweden.
• In 1923 the first commercial production of lithium metal was achieved by Metallgesellschaft AG in Germany
• The first isolation of elemental lithium was achieved later by W.T. Brande and Sir Humphrey Davy by the electrolysis of lithium oxide.
• "lithos" meaning "stone"

METALLIC (WITH ALL THE PROPERTIES OF METALS) REACTS WITH WATER VIGOROUSLY AS WELL AS THE GROUP 7 HALOGENS HAS ONE ELECTRON IN ITS OUTER SHELL. ELECTRON CONFIGURATION OF 2, 1 OR 1S2, 2S1 SOLID STATE HIGH BOILING/MELTING POINT.

USES

• Casting
• Batteries
• Aluminum
• Air treatment
• Greases

SOURCES

• Bolivia
• Sweden
• Chile

SOURCES/ INFORMATION

• Can be mined in open pits
• Lithium is also sometimes used to treat certain blood disorders, depression
• Lithium is in a class of medications called antimanic agents.

Lithium does not occur free in nature, though it is found in nearly all igneous rocks and in mineral springs,
Pure lithium metal is extremely corrosive and requires special handling.