Lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide are both used in manufacturing lithium-ion batteries, but lithium hydroxide is becoming more popular. Lithium carbonate is also used for applications beyond batteries, such as in ceramics, glass, cement and aluminum processing. While lithium hydroxide is more expensive, it can be used to produce cathode material for batteries more efficiently and is necessary for some cathode types. Technical-grade lithium carbonate must have very low iron concentrations for uses in glass and ceramics applications.

1. Lithium
Derivatives
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Lithium carbonate is
used for much more
than just lithium-ion
batteries.
Not all lithium
carbonate is created
equal. Lithium
hydroxide is becoming
more popular than
lithium carbonate for
use in manufacturing
lithium-ion batteries

2. LITHIUM DERIVATIVES
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4. DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LITHIUM CARBONATE AND LITHIUM
HYDROXIDE?
SUPPLY OF LITHIUM HYDROXIDE, WHICH IS ALSO A KEY BATTERY CATHODE RAW MATERIAL, IS FAR LESS THAN
LITHIUM CARBONATE AT PRESENT. IT IS A MORE NICHE PRODUCT THAN LITHIUM CARBONATE, BUT IS ALSO
USED BY MAJOR BATTERY PRODUCERS THAT ARE COMPETING WITH THE INDUSTRIAL LUBRICANT INDUSTRY
FOR THE SAME RAW MATERIAL.

5. Looking beyond batteries, lithium carbonate is used in ceramics, glass, cement
and aluminum processing. Indeed, while the battery market is certainly
growing, the US Geological Survey estimates that glass and ceramics still
made up roughly 27 percent of global end-use markets in 2017. Lithium
carbonate also has an important use in the pharmaceutical industry: it’s been
on the World Health Organization’s list of essential medicines as a treatment
for bipolar disorder.

6. Lithium
Carbonate
Battery-grade lithium
carbonate can be used to
make cathode material
for lithium-ion batteries,
but most contaminants
must be removed in order
for the material to be
considered battery
grade.

7. Lithium Carbonate
Technical Grade
Technical-grade lithium carbonate is cheaper than battery-grade material,
but such products must have very low concentrations of iron to make the
cut for end users. This type of lithium is used in applications for glass and
ceramics. It’s also worth noting that lithium is used in the form of ore
concentrates in industrial applications rather than as lithium carbonate or
hydroxide.

8. Lithium
Hydroxide
Technical-grade lithium carbonate is
cheaper than battery-grade material, but
such products must have very low
concentrations of iron to make the cut
for end users. This type of lithium is
used in applications for glass and
ceramics. It’s also worth noting that
lithium is used in the form of ore
concentrates in industrial applications
rather than as lithium carbonate or
hydroxide.
While lithium hydroxide is more expensive, it can also be used
to produce cathode material more efficiently, and is actually
necessary for some types of cathodes, such as nickel–cobalt-
aluminum oxide (NCA) and nickel-manganese-cobalt oxide
(NMC).

9. Lithium
Derivatives Data Bases

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