Ngenxa yokuthi ukukhula komchazi kwesidingo se-lithium Ngamabhethri angavuseleleka, izinkampani manje "zilwela" ukutholwa kwale nto.
Ukuthengiswa komhlaba wonke kukasawoti we-lithium kumayelana kuphela $ 1.000 billion ngonyaka owodwa. Kodwa le nto iyisici esibalulekile samabhethri anika amandla izimoto, ama-smartphones, ama-laptops neminye imikhiqizo eminingi. Ngokufuneka kwesitoreji samandla aphezulu sezimoto zikagesi ezizohlanzeka futhi zibe luhlaza, uGoldman Sachs uqambe i-lithium njengophethiloli omusha.
I-SQM yiyona Umkhiqizi omkhulu we-lithium waseChile futhi kuyingxenye yalezo zinkampani ezilwela ukuthola izimpahla ze-lithium zabakhiqizi bebhethri abakhulu kunabo bonke emhlabeni, njengabakhiqizi bezimoto.
Intengo ye-lithium carbonate emsulwa ingeniswe eChina iphindwe kabili ezinyangeni ezimbili ezedlule kusuka ku-2015 kuya ku- $ 13.000 ngethani. Ukukhula okuphezulu kukhombisa ukukhathazeka ngekusasa lale nto emakethe ebaluleke njengeChina. YiChina uqobo ethola i-lithium eyidingayo evela e-Australia, enye indlela yomkhiqizi omkhulu oyiChile.
Enye yezinkinga ukuthi, noma kunjalo Umhlaba unenani elikhulu le-lithium, ukuyikhipha kungabiza, ngaphandle kokuthi kudla isikhathi, ngakho-ke amanani aphakeme ngeke avuselele ukukhipha ukuletha okufunwayo.
La isidingo samanje siphezulu kakhulu nabakhiqizi abathile be-lithium ion njenge-Samsung ne-LG eSouth Korea, iPanasonic neSony eJapan ne-ATL eHong Kong. I-China ingenye ehlangana ndawonye njengomenzi webhethri.
Futhi akufanele sikhohlwe ngeTesla Motors elungiselela kulo nyaka i- ukuqala kokukhiqizwa ku- «Gigafactoria» yayo eNevada, ilindele ukuba nokutholakala okwanele kwamabhethri e-lithium-ion ezimotweni ezingama-500.000 ngonyaka ezinhlanu ezizayo. Sivele sixoxe kungekudala izinkinga zokunikezela babenakho. Futhi, nguJes Straubel kaTesla uqobo othi kune-hype enkulu kakhulu manje ye-lithium ukuthi iba yinto yomlingo.