lithium carbonate

American

noun

Chemistry.

a colorless crystalline compound, Li 2 CO 3 , slightly soluble in water: used in ceramic and porcelain glazes, pharmaceuticals, and luminescent paints.

lithium carbonate British

noun

a white crystalline solid used in the treatment of manic-depressive illness and mania. Formula: Li 2 CO 3 . Lithium citrate is also sometimes used for this purpose

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of lithium carbonate

First recorded in 1870–75

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Battery-grade lithium carbonate prices rebounded to $23,050 per metric ton, up from $8,475 in June 2025.

From Barron's • Apr. 16, 2026

In a report, BMI says it now expects average 2025 prices for Chinese lithium carbonate at $10,100/metric ton and for Chinese lithium hydroxide at $9,700/ton, both higher than previously envisaged.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 20, 2025

The company said it is on schedule to be in production in late 2027, and will scale up in 2028 to full production of 40,000 metric tons per year of battery-quality lithium carbonate.

From MarketWatch • Oct. 16, 2025

Then, they mix in chemicals that cause the lithium to precipitate out as solid lithium carbonate.

From Science Magazine • Nov. 27, 2024

Alkalies—sodium salicylate, potassium bicarbonate, liquor potassæ, and lithium carbonate.

From Essentials of Diseases of the Skin Including the Syphilodermata Arranged in the Form of Questions and Answers Prepared Especially for Students of Medicine by Stelwagon, Henry Weightman

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023