Izimoto zikagesi: imibuzo eyi-8 nezimpendulo mayelana ne-lithium

Izimoto zikagesi zingena kancane kancane ekuphileni kwethu kwansuku zonke, futhi ukuzimela okunikezwa amabhethri azo kuhlala kuyinkomba eyinhloko ezoholela ekusetshenzisweni kwazo kabanzi. Futhi uma kuze kube manje sesizwile - ngokulandelana kwesikhathi - mayelana "nodade abayisikhombisa", i-OPEC, amazwe akhiqiza uwoyela nezinkampani zikawoyela zombuso, manje i-lithium ingena kancane kancane ezimpilweni zethu njengengxenye eyinhloko yobuchwepheshe bebhethri yesimanje obuqinisekisa ukuzimela okukhulu.

Ngakho-ke, kanye nokukhishwa kukawoyela, i-lithium iyangezwa, into yemvelo, impahla eluhlaza, okuthi eminyakeni ezayo izothatha indawo ehamba phambili ekukhiqizeni amabhethri. Ake sibheke ukuthi iyini i-lithium nokuthi yini okufanele siyazi ngayo? 

Ingabe umhlaba udinga i-lithium engakanani?

ILithium iyinsimbi yama-alkali enemakethe yomhlaba ekhula ngokushesha. Phakathi kuka-2008 no-2018 kuphela, ukukhiqizwa kwaminyaka yonke emazweni akhiqiza kakhulu kukhuphukile kusuka kumathani ayi-25 kuya kuma-400. Isici esibalulekile ekufuneni okwandisiwe ukusetshenziswa kwaso kumabhethri emoto kagesi.

ILithium isetshenziswe iminyaka kumalaptop aphathekayo nakumakhalekhukhwini, kanye nasezimbonini zengilazi nezobumba.

Kukumaphi amazwe okumbiwa nge-lithium?

I-Chile inezinqolobane ze-lithium ezinkulu kunazo zonke emhlabeni, ngamathani ayizigidi ezingu-8, ngaphambi kwe-Australia ( amathani ayizigidi ezingu-2,7), i-Argentina ( amathani ayizigidi ezingu-2) ne-China ( amathani ayizigidi ezingu-1). Ingqikithi yeziqiwu emhlabeni ilinganiselwa emathani ayizigidi eziyi-14. Lokhu kuhambisana nezikhathi eziyi-165 zokukhiqiza ngo-2018.

Ku-2018, i-Australia ibingumhlinzeki we-lithium ophezulu kakhulu (amathani angama-51), ngaphambi kweChile (amathani ayi-000), iChina (amathani ayi-16) ne-Argentina (amathani ayi-000). Lokhu kuboniswa kudatha evela kwi-United States Geological Survey (USGS). 

I-lithium yase-Australia ivela embonini yezimayini, kuyilapho e-Chile nase-Argentina iphuma ezindaweni ezinosawoti, ezibizwa ngokuthi amasalars ngesiNgisi. Edume kakhulu kulezi zingwadule i-Atacama edumile. Ukukhishwa kwezinto zokusetshenziswa ogwadule kwenzeka kanje: amanzi anosawoti aphuma emachibini angaphansi komhlaba aqukethe i-lithium alethwa phezulu futhi ahwamuke emigodini emikhulu (usawoti). Kusixazululo sikasawoti esisele, ukucubungula kwenziwa ngezigaba eziningana kuze kube yilapho i-lithium ifaneleka ukusetshenziswa kumabhethri.

IVolkswagen ikhiqiza kanjani i-lithium

IVolkswagen AG isayine izivumelwano zesikhathi eside zeVolkswagen ze-lithium neGanfeng ezibaluleke kakhulu ekuqapheliseni ikusasa likagesi. IMemorandamu Yokusebenzisana ehlangene nomkhiqizi we-lithium waseChina iqinisekisa ukuphepha kokuphakelwa kobuchwepheshe obuyinhloko besikhathi esizayo futhi iba negalelo elibonakalayo ekufezeni inhloso yokuvelela kaVolkswagen yokwethula izimoto zikagesi eziyizigidi ezingama-22 emhlabeni wonke ngonyaka ka-2028.

Ayini amathemba esikhathi eside okufunwa kwe-lithium?

IVolkswagen igxile kakhulu ezimotweni zikagesi. Eminyakeni eyishumi ezayo, inkampani ihlela ukukhipha amamodeli amasha kagesi amasha angama-70 - kusuka kuma-50 abebehlelile phambilini. Inani lezimoto zikagesi ezikhiqizwe eminyakeni eyishumi ezayo lizophinde lenyuke lisuka ezigidini eziyi-15 laya ezigidini ezingama-22.

“Izinto zokusetshenziswa zihlala zibalulekile ngokuhamba kwesikhathi,” kusho owazuza umklomelo kaNobel uStanley Whittingham, okukholakala ukuthi nguye owabeka isisekelo sesayensi samabhethri asetshenziswa namuhla. 

"I-lithium izoba yizinto ezikhethwayo zamabhethri aphezulu okukhuthazela iminyaka eyi-10 kuye kwengama-20," uyaqhubeka. 

Ekugcineni, izinto eziningi zokusetshenziswa ezisetshenziswayo zizophinda zigaywe kabusha - kunciphisa isidingo se-lithium "entsha". Kulindeleke ukuthi ngo-2030 i-lithium izosetshenziswa hhayi embonini yezimoto kuphela.