Lithium is a soft, silver metal, and is the first member of the alkali group of metals.  It is the lightest of all metals and, whilst resembling sodium chemically, it is less active.  As is the case for other alkali group elements, it is obtained by the electrolysis of the fused halides.  The abundance of lithium in the earth's crust is 20 ppm.  Lithium reacts slowly in water and in air where it eventually forms a black coating of oxide.  This means that this metal tends to be stored under oil to prevent deterioration.  Lithium is used as an alloying agent with aluminium and magnesium, and in the manufacture of batteries.Lithium Metal is available as disc, granules, ingot, pellets, pieces, powder , rod, wire, and sputtering target.  Ultra high purity and high purity forms also include metal powder, submicron powder and nanoscale, quantum dots, targets for thin film deposition, pellets for evaporation and single crystal or polycrystalline forms.  Elements can also be introduced into alloys or other systems as fluorides, oxides or chlorides or as solutions