Tracing the fate of lithium––The development of a material flow model

Developments in electric mobility are strongly focussed on lithium-ion batteries entailing a rising interest in lithium by science, industry, and politics. As several studies forecast a strong increase of demand, controversial statements are circulating about the element's future availability. This indicates that a more comprehensive understanding of the global lithium cycle is necessary. Therefore, a study was carried out to describe the global lithium flows by means of a material flow analysis. A static material flow model of lithium comprehending key processes and flows was developed based on data about production, manufacture, and use for the year 2007. The work provides the first global lithium model and shows how supply and demand of lithium as well as flows into the environment are connected on a global scale.Whilst the different data sets used are subject to some inaccuracies, a noticeable discrepancy between production and consumption could be identified, which needs further explanation. The stationary global lithium model developed allows both to explore the recycling possibilities for lithium products and their resulting material flows and to identify important influencing parameters along the lifecycle, which can be used to increase the resource efficiency of lithium. This, in turn, is crucial to improving the resource security for future technologies of such a strategic metal as lithium.

► We developed the first global material flow model of lithium.
► The model examines the supply and demand of lithium and flows into the environment.
► We could identify a noticeable discrepancy between production and consumption.
► The model allows distinguishing different levels of dissipation for lithium uses.
► The model provides crucial information and basic data for future dynamic modelling.