Lithium is a highly reactive and flammable metal. Most of today’s lithium is extracted from mineral springs and brine pools in South America. In 2019, 65% of the globally extracted lithium was being used for lithium-ion batteries. Other important uses include ceramics, air treatment, polymers, and pharmaceuticals.
Lithium
Cobalt
Cobalt in its free form is a hard, silver-gray metal. It is usually found in a chemically combined form, associated with nickel. Historically it was used for jewelry and paints due to its rich blue color. Today’s industry primarily uses this metal for the production of lithium-ion batteries.
Zinc
Zinc is a bluish-white, often brittle metal that is most commonly found in its ore form as sphalerite. It is an essential trace element for many living organisms, named after the German word “Zinke” (Eng. prong (of a fork)). It is frequently used as an anti-corrosion agent for iron and steel.
Copper
Copper, named after Cyprus (historically being its chief source), has been used by humans as early as 9000 BC. It is a soft and highly ductile metal and is often used as wire material due to its thermal and electrical conductivity capabilities.
Steel
Steel is the world’s most important construction material. It is an alloy of iron and carbon with small amounts of manganese, silicon, and phosphorus. Steel is often favored in all types of infrastructure and also vehicles thanks to its highly tensile strength and relatively low cost.
Aluminum
Aluminum is a soft, ductile, and non-magnetic element. It was named after the “alum”, which is a chemical salt that was quite often used for tanning and dyeing in the ancient times. Today it can be found as an essential material in automobiles, packaging, and many household items.
Chrome
Chrome metal is a steely-grey hard metal and is highly valued due to its hardness and high corrosion resistance; Often being used as a plating material on metal surfaces. The production of metal alloys, such as stainless steel, accounts for 85% of today’s chrome usage.
Nickel
Most of the nickel world-wide is mined from ore deposits. Historically nickel was mostly used to mint coins. In current times, it is largely used in the production of metal alloys (with stainless steel taking up 68% of global nickel use) due to its metallurgical stability and toughness.
