Advances in Lithium Isotope Geochemistry

Not even a full decade has passed since the publication of a broadly inclusive summary of Li isotope research around the globe (Tomascak, 2004). Despite the short time, the use of this isotope system in the investigation of geo- and cosmochemical questions has veritably exploded, hinging in part on the advent of new analytical technology at the close of the millennium. Lithium, as a light element that forms low-charge, moderate-sized ions, manifests a number of chemical properties that make its stable isotope system useful in a wide array of geo- and cosmochemical research fields. This work summarizes the historical progression of the field of Li isotope studies and delivers a complete yet succinct distillation of the research applications toward which they have been directed. In synthesizing the historical and current research, the volume offers also prospective future directions of study.