The Global Quest for Lithium: A Coveted Element

In 1929, 7UP was marketed as a 'Bib-label Lithiated Lemon-Lime Soda' and later as '7UP Lithiated Lemon Soda.' The beverage originally included lithium citrate, a derivative of lithium, the same element powering modern lithium-ion batteries. While the origin of the '7' in 7UP remains unclear, some theories suggest it references lithium's atomic mass, approximately 7 (6.94, rounded up).

Lithium citrate, a form of lithium salt, remained an ingredient in the drink from 1929 until 1948, when the FDA prohibited its use in sodas and beers.

What prompted companies to add lithium to their drinks? For centuries, lithium-rich hot springs were believed to have healing properties, and during the 1800s, lithium was utilized to treat gout, including a condition referred to as 'brain gout.' By the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it was also prescribed for mania and melancholic depression, earning the element a favorable reputation.

Today, lithium is more sought-after than ever. While many associate it with batteries for laptops and electric vehicles, its applications extend far beyond technology. Lithium continues to be used in treating certain mood disorders, has been integral to high-tech lenses in the FERMILAB proton conversion system for decades, and plays a role in stabilizing glassware and ceramics. Some even advocate for microdosing lithium to potentially enhance mental health (more details to follow).

Lithium Characteristics

Lithium ranks among the lightest elements on Earth. With an atomic number of 3 and an atomic mass of 6.94, it shares properties with other metals, being soft and malleable. Its silver hue and density comparable to pinewood are noted by Michael McKibben, a geology research professor at the University of California, Riverside.

Johan August Arfwedson discovered lithium in 1812 while analyzing lithium silicate minerals, such as petalite, on Sweden's Utö island. He identified petalite as containing the previously unknown metal, lithium. "Arfwedson and his professor chose to name the element after the Greek word for stone, lithos, reflecting its mineral origin rather than being derived from plants or animals," explains McKibben. Today, lithium is primarily sourced from rocks, though it is also found in hot springs and beneath dried lake beds.

For centuries, individuals flocked to lithium-rich hot springs, such as those in Lithia Springs, Georgia, for their reputed health benefits. The renowned Sweet Water Hotel and Health Resort, frequented by notable figures like Mark Twain, the Vanderbilts, and presidents including Theodore Roosevelt, once stood there. Today, lithium is abundant in hot springs, geothermal areas, and saline environments. According to McKibben, volcanic rocks, like pegmatites and granite, are rich in lithium. "Processes such as weathering these rocks into clay or evaporative concentration of brines can further enhance lithium deposits in mining locations."

Soda, Batteries, and Mood Stabilizers

"It's accurate that batteries come to mind first, as they account for about 75 percent of lithium usage," McKibben explains. "Consider all the items powered by lithium-ion batteries, and the list keeps expanding: cars, medications, bicycles, scooters, phones, tablets, lawnmowers. Even my weed whacker runs on a lithium battery."

Although lithium is no longer allowed in beverages, it remains a highly effective oral treatment for mood disorders today (though not in the form of lemon-lime soda). Marketed as Lithobid, pharmaceutical companies have introduced targeted synthetic alternatives since the 1950s.

Have you ever questioned how transition lenses function or why tinted windows darken under sunlight? The answer lies in the power of lithium!

"Modern windows in homes often darken in bright sunlight due to lithium compounds embedded in the glass," McKibben explains. "A layer of lithium ions within the glass reacts to sunlight, causing the glass to darken." Lithium is also widely used in ceramics and glassware, enhancing their durability and stabilizing their color.

The Lithium Triangle

Lithium mining is experiencing a surge, driven largely by the rise in electric vehicles and the demand for rechargeable batteries. While lithium is mined in places like North Carolina, Nevada, and Canada, most of the world's lithium originates from South America and Australia. The "lithium triangle," where Chile, Argentina, and Bolivia converge in the Atacama Desert, is a key region. Here, lithium is extracted from beneath dry lake beds, known as salares in Spanish, and processed in evaporation ponds.

The Atacama Salar, a vast salt flat in Chile, is the largest lithium-producing deposit globally, yielding about one-third of the world's lithium. Comparable in size to Yosemite National Park, its evaporation ponds are visible from space. "These ponds are enormous, each the size of a football field, and there are hundreds of them," McKibben notes. "This scale of operation is causing significant environmental damage in Chile."

Lithium mining methods vary and are often shrouded in secrecy, but the general process works like this: Lithium-rich brine is pumped from underground and brought to the surface to evaporate in large basins. The remaining solution undergoes multiple treatments to isolate the lithium. This process severely impacts the environment, killing plant life, drying up lagoons, and disrupting local wildlife habitats.

"The evaporation ponds require massive amounts of water and chemicals, causing extensive environmental harm. This has spurred interest in direct lithium extraction from geothermal and oil field brines, which use less water and minimize land disruption," McKibben explains.

McKibben also highlights that a direct lithium extraction facility near the Salton Sea in California occupies roughly 100 acres (40.4 hectares), uses 10 times less water, and produces lithium in a matter of days. In comparison, evaporation ponds in Chile span over 3,000 acres (1,214 hectares) and take two years to yield lithium.

Is Lithium Dangerous?

While lithium mining poses environmental risks, excessive consumption can also lead to adverse health effects. Additionally, lithium can become explosive under specific conditions.

"Lithium is relatively unstable, with only three protons in its nucleus and a loosely bound outer electron. It readily donates this electron, making it highly reactive, particularly with water, oxygen, and nitrogen," McKibben explains. "Uncoated lithium metal reacts aggressively with water, producing lithium hydroxide and hydrogen gas, which is flammable and releases heat. This is why lithium is associated with fires."

Lithium-ion batteries are prone to catching fire due to their flammable organic electrolytes. McKibben notes that defects, overheating, or physical damage can cause short circuits, leading lithium to react with water or air. Over the past decade, these batteries have been linked to several fires on airplanes and in airports.

"This is why smartphones, laptops, and car batteries can ignite," McKibben states. "Lithium battery fires are an increasing risk, especially on airplanes, which is arguably the worst place for such incidents." Researchers are actively seeking safer, non-flammable alternatives to liquid or gel electrolytes.

The FDA banned lithium in soft drinks in the late 1940s because excessive consumption became a concern. People were ingesting lithium not only from sodas but also from beer, medical treatments, and even as a low-sodium salt substitute. Overdoses led to lithium toxicity, causing symptoms like nausea, vomiting, tremors, and kidney damage.

Lithium Is Beneficial, But Should We Reintroduce It in Beverages?

Recall the idea that microdoses of lithium might benefit mental health? In 2014, Anna Fels, a psychiatrist and faculty member at Weill Cornell Medical College, proposed in a New York Times OpEd article that we investigate the societal impact of regular lithium doses.

"Current research indicates that suicide rates could drop, and possibly other violent behaviors as well. Dementia rates might also decrease," she writes in her article, "Should we all take a bit of lithium?" Could adding a small amount of lithium to water supplies reduce suicide, rape, and murder rates nationwide? Fels believes that, despite its controversial history, the topic deserves reconsideration.

A 2020 meta-analysis in the British Journal of Psychiatry supports her view, showing that naturally occurring lithium in tap water correlates with reduced suicide rates in local populations. For now, though, we'll stick to soaking in mineral-rich hot springs.