Lithium

[rockhound]

All the developing countries are in a mad scramble to discover and recover this metal. It is going to be the next big boon on the energy scene. The US, China, The european countries, as well as The Middle eastern countries are spending million to find and recover the remaing world reserves. It not only is used in medicine to control depression nad Bi Polar illnesses, but also it is the newest in high tech batterys. Lithium Ion batterys weight half as much as their NIMh or NiCad counterparts. But he biggest difference is the long life ad fast recharge times. All major automobile manufacturers are going to build electric cars in 2010 and 2011. These ars are going to run on Li Ion batterys. There is not nearly enough already found to satisfy the needs of the battery manufacturers. If you can find a vein, you could ptentially name your own price. As supplies get scarcer the price will escalate. It will slowly replace oil as the new energy for our planet, as we switch from internal combustion to electric transportation. I need to find where it reads on my metal detector. Gotta go. rockhound

[pygmy]

You wont find it with a MD as it doesn't occur as a metal but as compounds in the earth.
It's not that rare , about the same abundance as nickel and lead.