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Discovered By?	Johan August Arfvedson
Discovered Where?	Stockholm, Sweden
Discovered When?	1817
Origin of Name?	The name comes from the Greek word lithos. Lithos translates to 'stone'. It was given this name because it was first discovered from a mineral rather than a plant.
Elements Discovered Before Lithium?	35
Sources?	Spodumene, ambylgonite, lepidolite and desert lake brines.

     Lithium was first discovered and defined by by J.A. Arfvedson in 1817 when he did an analysis of a mineral he had found. This mineral, petalite (LiAl(Si₂O₅)₂), was first found by Brazilian scientist José Bonifácio in 1800. Arfvedson was never able to fully isolate lithium, and it wasn't until 1855 that it was isolated, by W.T. Brande. Lithium was first produced commercially in 1923, by Metallgesellschaft AG.

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