The Lavish Lithium Ion Battery
Whether you’re updating your Instagram story on your iPhone, driving an electric car, or binge watching The Office for the third time on your laptop, lithium ion batteries power nearly every tech device we use. Learn more about the history of the lithium ion battery below.
Invention
German-American physicist John Goodenough developed the first lithium battery in 1980, kicking off a development race around the world to develop a battery that could be used commercially. In 1987, Sony of Japan announced it had created a rechargeable lithium-based battery, though it would take another four years before the public would have access to it.
Commercialization
Sony eventually released the first commercial lithium battery in 1991. The battery was an instant hit, especially with owners of video cameras, which still required heavy and cumbersome battery packs.
Motorola released its MicroTac Elite mobile phone in 1994, becoming the first phone to use a lithium battery. The phone offered owners a talk time battery life of up to three hours and several other state of the art features:
Present & Future
In 2008, the Tesla Roadster became the first lithium ion powered electric vehicle to be allowed on public roads. Despite an average price tag of over $100,000, the Roadster’s popularity inspired other car companies to develop their own electric vehicles, increasing the demand for lithium.
The improvement of ion battery technology has allowed for the development of numerous items people use every day. Smartphones, laptops, watches, fitness bands, and cameras are just a few examples of things you may be using right now that are powered by lithium. As technology continues to develop, so will the need for lithium ion batteries to power them.
Nevada Rising to Meet Demand
Most lithium around the world is mined in South America and Australia, but Nevada is home to the only active lithium mine in North America. With the increased demand for lithium, tens of thousands of claims have been filed around the state. Nevada may be mining up to a quarter of all lithium around the world by the mid-2020s!
Visit the NvMA’s mineral page for more information about lithium and the other 20+ minerals Nevada produces.