[VIDEO] How Lithium Is Mined for Power Tool Batteries

[VIDEO] How Lithium Is Mined for Power Tool Batteries

January 31, 2017 Shane Hedmond

With the increased push from nearly all major tool manufacturers to ditch the cords and convert your toolbox to battery power, it’s important and interesting to learn about where all that lithium is coming from.  Not only are lithium ion batteries in power tool batteries, but, as you probably know, they also power smartphone batteries and electric cars.  

Electric car batteries use a much larger amount of lithium than power tool batteries and smartphones do and, as that technology begins to get more and more popular, lithium mines may struggle to keep up with demand.  As you’ll see in the video, the Chilean government are putting pressure on the mines to keep up with demand and they may even need to more than double their capacity within the next 4 years.  Australia and China are also major producers of the lithium the world uses.  

Environmental concerns, as with any mining operation, are always factors, as well.  For the Chileans, keeping the flamingos safe is a major concern, because of the large amount of water needed to operate the lithium ponds are taken from lagoons that some flamingos inhabit.  I’m not sure a perfect substance that can keep everyone happy exists yet, but it will be interesting to see how long lithium will continue to dominate the battery market.

Enjoy the video below from Bloomberg's Ashlee Vance:

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