amounts of lithium carbonate within the ranges stated should be used when a wet slurry is added technical grade lithium carbonate li 2 co 3 is an item of commerce while the smaller the lithium carbonate particles the more effective its effect when applied as a dry powder or as a slurry the standard grades having the following sieve analysis are perfectly acceptable ______________________________________u s mesh typical analysis passing______________________________________ 40 100100 85200 45______________________________________ lithium carbonate in the form of lithium oxide has been used for many years as a component of quality glasses glazes and enamels it imparts the properties of chemical resistance low thermal expansion and high gloss in these applications the lithium oxide is actually used for its fluxing action in order to reduce firing temperature and time to improve flow and bonding properties and to commit enameling of thinner sheet steel the purity of technical grade lithium carbonate is typically 99 1 with about 0 5 h 2 o being the principle impurity as an embodiment of the present invention lithium carbonate may be added to the pre melt from which mineral wool fibers are to be spun at some point during the formation of the melt the lithium carbonate converts to lithium oxide whether or not the oxide.