Presented To

Dr.Shehla Akbar
Presented By
Ayesha Riaz
Roll no.
1409
Subject
Instrumentation
Topic
Lithium Carbonate

Lahore College Of Pharmaceutical Sciences

 Objective
 Introduction of lithium carbonate
 Occurrence of lithium carbonate
 Properties of lithium carbonate
 Preparation of lithium carbonate
 Application of lithium carbonate


 Lithium carbonate is an inorganic compound, the

lithium salt of carbonate with the formula Li 2CO 3.
This white salt is widely used in the processing of
metal oxides.
 Lithium carbonate is found in ores together other minerals. It can be
extracted easily because it is vigorously soluble in water, thus the hot
water is used to isolate from other chemical compounds present in
ores.
 Due to its high reactivity lithium is not found in its native state. It’s
main sources are igneous rocks and brine. The main igneous rocks
used as sources of lithium are:
 • Spodumene (LiAlSi2O6) – The most abundant and important of
the lithium containing ores. Found in North America, Brazil, USSR,
Spain, Africa, and Argentina.
 • Lepidolite (K2Li3Al4Si7O21(OH,F)3) – Found in Canada and
Africa.
 • Petalite (LiAlSi4O10) – Found in Africa and Sweden.
 • Amblygonite LiAl(F,OH)PO)4 - not a common source of lithium.
 Lithium is also extracted from brine by evaporation. Places where this
occurs include Searle Lake (California, USA) and Clayton Valley
(Nevada, USA).
 Lithium salts colour flames bright red.
 Lithium is a soft silvery white metal.
 It is not used for structural applications.
 Lithium reacts with water, but not as vigorously as
sodium and potassium. For this reason it is usually
stored in oil.
 Lithium has the highest specific heat of any solid
elements.
 It is insoluble in ammonia,acetone and alcohol.
 It is odorless white powder.
 lithium carbonate exists only in the anhydrous form
 Lithium is extracted from primarily two
sources: pegmatite crystals and lithium salt from brine
pools. About 30,000 tons were produced in 1989. It
also exists as the rare mineral zabuyelite.
 Lithium carbonate is generated by combining lithium
peroxide with carbon dioxide. This reaction is the basis
of certain air purifiers, e.g., in spacecraft, used to
absorb carbon dioxide:
 2 Li 2O 2 + 2 CO 2 → 2 Li 2CO3 + O2
 Applications of lithium include:
 Alloying additions in particular for aluminum and
magnesium alloys
 Additions for ceramics and glass
 Lubricants and greases
 Rocket propellant
 Batteries
 Lithium carbonate, to be used to treat mania associated
with bipolar disorder.