LITHIUM (LI)

last update 01 oct 08

* Lithium is a member of the alkali metals family:

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   LITHIUM / Li / 3

   A soft, silvery, reactive metal, so reactive it has to be sealed with
   petroleum jelly.  Two isotopes are found in nature:

     Li<7/3> / 92%
     Li<6/3> /  8%

   Both are stable.

     atomic weight:       6.941
     abundance:           31st 
     density:             0.534 g/cc
     melting point:       180 C
     boiling point:       1,341 C
     valence:             1
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Lithium has a moderate number of useful applications, being produced at the level of a few tens of thousands of tonnes a year. About half the production is used, in the form of lithium oxide (Li2O), as an additive to glass and glass ceramics. It is used as an alloying element with magnesium and aluminum, producing a strong, lightweight structural material. Lithium carbonate (Li2CO3) is used in the treatment of certain mental disorders -- if in carefully controlled dosages, since lithium is toxic above a certain level of concentration. Lithium is also used in high-capacity electrical storage cells.