Industrial Minerals


Gambling on lithium’s future

April 2010

by Simon Moores

How the industry descended on Las Vegas for IM’s Lithium Supply & Markets 2010 and came away divided on resources and electric vehicle expectations

Keywords: Lithium, Li, Lithium Supply & Markets 2010, Las Vegas

In the year since IM held the inaugural Lithium Supply & Markets conference in Chile few could have predicted the explosion of interest that would grip the industry and the political heights discussions would reach.

Not only have mainstream media such as London’s Financial Times and New York’s Wall Street Journal printed substantial editorial on lithium’s strategic importance as the key electric vehicle (EV) battery component, but countries such as Bolivia are using the subject for political sway.

The Times of London proclaimed that “Lithium batteries may shift the balance of industrial power”, which succinctly explained why the element is the talk of the resources world at present.

of London proclaimed that “Lithium batteries may shift the balance of industrial power”, which succinctly explained why the element is the talk of the resources world at present. Lucky number 7? Lithium, the element with...