You make Lithium Nitride with Lithium and Nitrogen.
You get Lithium by electrolysis of lithium chloride and potassium chloride.
You get Lithium Chloride by treating lithium carbonate with hydrochloric acid.
The natural form of lithium carbonate is the rare mineral Zabuyelite.
Potassium Chloride occurs naturally as the mineral sylvite.
Hydrochloric acid is produced by dissolving hydrogen chloride in water.
Hydrogen chloride is produced in a few different ways, usually as part of other processes.
I am not a chemist and my chemistry knowledge is embarrassingly weak. Apologies if I've misused any terms.
I'd be interested to know if energy calculations include the entire production chain, or just the last bit. I don't think it matters, so long as people know and people are consistent to allow comparison.
> I'd be interested to know if energy calculations include the entire production chain,
Indeed. My layman's gut feel is that for conservation of energy reasons, if the last step gives out energy (as opposed to requiring is as is usually the case for CO2-consuming reactions, according to the article) then maybe the energy is put in earlier?
