The lithium battery market, now valued at $11 billion per year, is expected to reach $43 billion by 2020 Global consumption of lithium is forecast to double to 300,000 tons per year by 2020
A group of Korean scientists, working at the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), have developed a fast-charge lithium-ion battery that can be recharged 30 to 120 times faster than conventional li-ion batteries.
Lithium shortage strains battery supply A shortage of lithium is driving up consumer prices for battery powered mobile gadgets, writes The Saudi Gazette. Lithium is the main ingredient in long-life batteries used in smartphones, tablets, electric vehicles and other sought-after products. In recent years, the mineral's priced tripled as demand spiked.