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Lithium-ion batteries: From smartphones to electric cars, nearly every battery-powered device relies on them. Lithium-ion technology is particularly important for something called ‘intralogistics’–the logistics within a company. In addition to the movement of materials, intralogistics also encompasses things like storage, packaging and data technology. Today, all these processes are often controlled digitally. From querying resource availability to the use of transportation vehicles and AI-controlled large-scale storage, nothing in global commerce runs without the rapidly advancing technology of lithium ions. That's why a great deal of research is being done to improve lithium-ion technology: The focus is on higher battery efficiency, better vehicles and sustainable recycling.
New ways of obtaining lithium must also be found, because global demand for the light metal is growing rapidly. It is in Germany's and Europe's interests to become less reliant on imports from Chile, Australia and China, where the majority of lithium is currently mined. One approach is to extract it from thermal water in geothermal power plants. Another could be to extract lithium from zinnwaldite, a mineral found in some parts of Germany.
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