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Spodumene
Spodumene is a pyroxene mineral consisting of lithium aluminium inosilicate, LiAl(SiO3)2, and is a commercially important source of lithium. It occurs as colorless to yellowish, purplish, or lilac kunzite (see below), or alternatively yellowish-green or emerald-green hiddenite; it takes the form of prismatic crystals, often of great size. Single crystals of 14.3 m (47 ft) in size are reported from the Black Hills of South Dakota, United States.
The naturally occurring low-temperature form α-spodumene is in the monoclinic system, and the high-temperature β-spodumene crystallizes in the tetragonal system. α-Spodumene converts to β-spodumene at temperatures above 900 °C. Typically crystals are heavily striated along the principal axis. Crystal faces are often etched and pitted with triangular markings.[not verified in body]
Spodumene was first described in 1800 for an occurrence in the type locality in Utö, Södermanland, Sweden. It was discovered by Brazilian naturalist Jose Bonifacio de Andrada e Silva. The name is derived from the Greek spodumenos (σποδούμενος), meaning "burnt to ashes", owing to the opaque ash-grey appearance of material refined for use in industry.
Spodumene occurs in lithium-rich granite pegmatites and aplites. Associated minerals include quartz, albite, petalite, eucryptite, lepidolite, and beryl.
Transparent material has long been used as a gemstone with varieties kunzite and hiddenite noted for their strong pleochroism. Source localities include the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Afghanistan, Australia, Brazil, Madagascar (see mining), Pakistan, Québec in Canada, and North Carolina and California in the U.S.
Since 2018, the DRC has been known to have the largest lithium spodumene hard-rock deposit in the world, with mining operations occurring in the central DRC territory of Manono, Tanganyika Province. As of 2021, the Australian company AVZ Minerals is developing the Manono Lithium and Tin project, and has a resource size of 400 million tonnes of high-grade low-impurity ore at 1.65% lithium oxide (Li2O) spodumene hard-rock based on studies and drilling of Roche Dure, one of several pegmatites in the deposit.
Spodumene is an important source of lithium, for use in ceramics, mobile phones and batteries (including for automotive applications), medicine, Pyroceram, and as a fluxing agent. As of 2019, around half of lithium is extracted from mineral ores, which mainly consist of spodumene. Lithium is recovered from spodumene by dissolution in acid, or extraction with other reagents, after roasting to convert it to the more reactive β-spodumene. The advantage of spodumene as a lithium source compared to brine sources is the higher lithium concentration, but at a higher extraction cost.
In 2016, the price of spodumene concentrate was forecast to be $500–600/ton for years to come. However, price spiked above $800 in January 2018, and production increased more than consumption, resulting in the price declining to $400 by September 2020.
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Spodumene
Spodumene is a pyroxene mineral consisting of lithium aluminium inosilicate, LiAl(SiO3)2, and is a commercially important source of lithium. It occurs as colorless to yellowish, purplish, or lilac kunzite (see below), or alternatively yellowish-green or emerald-green hiddenite; it takes the form of prismatic crystals, often of great size. Single crystals of 14.3 m (47 ft) in size are reported from the Black Hills of South Dakota, United States.
The naturally occurring low-temperature form α-spodumene is in the monoclinic system, and the high-temperature β-spodumene crystallizes in the tetragonal system. α-Spodumene converts to β-spodumene at temperatures above 900 °C. Typically crystals are heavily striated along the principal axis. Crystal faces are often etched and pitted with triangular markings.[not verified in body]
Spodumene was first described in 1800 for an occurrence in the type locality in Utö, Södermanland, Sweden. It was discovered by Brazilian naturalist Jose Bonifacio de Andrada e Silva. The name is derived from the Greek spodumenos (σποδούμενος), meaning "burnt to ashes", owing to the opaque ash-grey appearance of material refined for use in industry.
Spodumene occurs in lithium-rich granite pegmatites and aplites. Associated minerals include quartz, albite, petalite, eucryptite, lepidolite, and beryl.
Transparent material has long been used as a gemstone with varieties kunzite and hiddenite noted for their strong pleochroism. Source localities include the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Afghanistan, Australia, Brazil, Madagascar (see mining), Pakistan, Québec in Canada, and North Carolina and California in the U.S.
Since 2018, the DRC has been known to have the largest lithium spodumene hard-rock deposit in the world, with mining operations occurring in the central DRC territory of Manono, Tanganyika Province. As of 2021, the Australian company AVZ Minerals is developing the Manono Lithium and Tin project, and has a resource size of 400 million tonnes of high-grade low-impurity ore at 1.65% lithium oxide (Li2O) spodumene hard-rock based on studies and drilling of Roche Dure, one of several pegmatites in the deposit.
Spodumene is an important source of lithium, for use in ceramics, mobile phones and batteries (including for automotive applications), medicine, Pyroceram, and as a fluxing agent. As of 2019, around half of lithium is extracted from mineral ores, which mainly consist of spodumene. Lithium is recovered from spodumene by dissolution in acid, or extraction with other reagents, after roasting to convert it to the more reactive β-spodumene. The advantage of spodumene as a lithium source compared to brine sources is the higher lithium concentration, but at a higher extraction cost.
In 2016, the price of spodumene concentrate was forecast to be $500–600/ton for years to come. However, price spiked above $800 in January 2018, and production increased more than consumption, resulting in the price declining to $400 by September 2020.