The phenomenal growth of mobile electronics is fueling demand for lithium. Cell phones and laptop computers are some of the most sought after products in the world and they are both powered by lithium-ion batteries.
Lithium is powering the wireless world and wireless communications are driving the enormous demand for Lithium. Lithium is a crucial component of the $65.7 billion cell phone industry. Last year one billion cell phones were sold around the world each one powered by lithium.
Wireless communications include popular international mega-brands like iPhone, Android and BlackBerry. These are products with huge, ever-increasing demand, last year there were 50 million Blackberries sold and iPhone sales increased over 600 percent. Cell phone producers reliant on lithium include companies like Nokia, Motorola, SamSung, and Sony/Ericson.
Laptop computers are another major source of lithium demand. The 177 million laptops sold last year eclipsed PC sales for the first time. The fact that laptop computers are replacing home PCs reflects a general trend towards mobile sources of power. This trend is being led by mobile electronics.
There are a variety of other mobile electronic technologies that are powered by lithium batteries. Music players known as MP3s are very popular electronic items that draw on lithium and new technologies like Apple’s iPad are also powered by lithium.
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Blue-chip companies are investing in lithium because they know that for the foreseeable future lithium-ion batteries will provide the energy for all the most popular mobile electronics. This makes lithium one of the greatest wealth making opportunities of the century.