Glazes

Lithium

Lithium is an essential ingredient in lithium-ion batteries for hybrid and electric cars, as well as rechargeable power for laptops, phones and other devices. It is the lightest of all metals, making it well suited for use in everything from pacemakers to jets.

Lithium does not occur on its own in nature but is found combined with other minerals. At our Jadar project, we discovered lithium in a new mineral in the Jadar Valley in Serbia, now known as jadarite.

Lithium is part of our portfolio of materials essential to a low-carbon future. Lithium is a key element needed for low-carbon technologies including the electrification of transport, large-scale batteries and energy storage. Double digit growth in lithium demand is forecast over the next decade.

Our lithium products

We source our battery-grade lithium in the US from nearly a century’s worth of mining waste rock at our Boron operations in California.

Our process involves roasting and leaching waste rock to recover lithium. Since it involves separating lithium from waste rock that has already been mined, this breakthrough process is a more sustainable alternative to other sources of lithium supply. 

Our demonstration plant in California has a design capacity of 10 tonnes per year of battery grade lithium. Priorities in 2021 include optimising the process to inform our feasibility assessment for progressing to a commercial scale plant. This plant would have an initial capacity of at least 5,000 tonnes per year of lithium, or enough to make batteries for approximately 70,000 electric vehicles.

We produce battery grade lithium carbonate that meets the strict quality assurance standards required by the electric vehicle industry.

Contact Lithium

Boron Operations, EV sign

Lithium sales

Leo Jaime, Americas and Europe
leo.jaime@riotinto.com


W: https://lithium.borax.com

Without lithium ion batteries you won’t have rapid mass adoption of electric vehicles or energy storage. And without the lithium, cobalt, nickel, graphite anode and manganese supply chains to feed these battery plants, you won’t have lithium ion batteries.”

- Simon Moores, Managing Director, Benchmark Mineral Intelligence

Rincon lithium project

We have acquired the Rincon lithium project, a large undeveloped lithium brine project located in the Salta province of Argentina, an emerging hub for greenfield projects.

The project is a long life, scaleable resource capable of producing battery grade lithium carbonate. It has the potential to have one of the lowest carbon footprints in the industry, helping us deliver on our commitment to decarbonise our portfolio.

The new mineral, jadarite

Lithium

A material for the future

A vital component for clean technologies such as electric vehicles and battery storage, lithium will play an essential role in the transition to a low carbon economy. Double digit growth in lithium demand is forecast over the next decade.

Partnerships across the value chain

Partnerships and collaboration are essential to bringing lithium from mine to market. For example, in June 2021 we announced a partnership with InoBat, a European battery technology and manufacturing company, to accelerate the establishment of a “cradle to cradle” battery manufacturing and recycling value chain in Serbia. The partnership will help us share information and knowledge on lithium processing, recycling and technologies for the next generation of batteries.

Through our membership of the European Battery Alliance and the European Raw Materials Alliance, we also support industry-wide initiatives aimed at building a competitive, sustainable and innovative value chain in Europe.

Powering everyday life

Lithium is a key component in the batteries that power your smart phone, electric vehicle and gaming controller.

Helping to store clean energy

Lithium is used in batteries to store the power generated from wind turbines and solar photovoltaic cells.

Cradle to cradle recycling

According to Canadian Mining, around 95% of the cobalt, lithium and graphite in batteries can be reused. We have formed a partnership with InoBat to accelerate the establishment of a “cradle to cradle” battery manufacturing and recycling value chain in Serbia.

Brightening up our world

Used in ceramic glazes, lithium can improve viscosity, improve transparency, increase ceramic strength and even brighten up the colours of the glazes.