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Exploring Copper and Lithium

Dear reader,


Welcome to our blog about the two commodities copper and lithium. 

This spring, we will use the blog to share information, news, and other exciting things about copper and lithium. Here we will explore how these commodities are used, why they are important, and how they impact the world around us.

Our first blog post will give a short introduction to these metals and their uses.
We hope you enjoy following our blog!


What is copper and lithium?

Lithium and copper are both metals, but they have different properties.
Copper is the most well-known and widely used of the two. It has many applications and is especially important in electronics, wiring, and motors, but it is also used in building construction, pipes, and other types of infrastructure. In other words, copper has a wide range of uses.



The famous landmark, the Statue of Liberty in New York, is made with 27.22 tons of copper.

Copper is a metal well-suited for electronics because it conducts electricity and heat very well. However, due to its widespread use, copper is considered a critical material, as consumption is so high. One advantage of copper is that it is well-suited for recycling. Copper recycling is common today and is also profitable. It is estimated that approximately 80% of all copper ever mined is still in use today. 



Lithium is a rarer metal, but it also has many applications, such as ceramics and medicines. The most well-known use of lithium is in modern batteries. Lithium-ion batteries have one particularly good feature, which is their long lifespan and that they are rechargeable. These qualities make lithium batteries good batteries for electric cars, mobile phones, laptops, and other electronics we use daily. 


A lithium battery for electric cars is often located under the floor.

Unlike copper, which is relatively easy to reuse, lithium has chemical properties that make the metal difficult to recycle. Recycling processes for lithium are currently under development, but they are expensive and inefficient. In other words, the use of lithium depends on ongoing new extraction, which comes at the expense of vulnerable ecosystems where lithium is mined.

Stay tuned for more posts this spring as we dive deeper into the world of copper and lithium.

Thanks for reading! 

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