LITHIUM PLANT

The Lithium Corp. of America was located at Cedar Lake Road and Dakota (2401 Edgewood/2400 Dakota). It was located on a 5.8 acre site of the Minnesota Tile and Brick manufacturing company that had produced bricks for the Downtown Post Office in the 1930s and early ‘40s.

The Lithium Corp. began in 1941 as the Metalloy Corp. From 1942 to 1960 the site was used to manufacture lithium carbonate from spodumene ore. [There were suspicions, however, that the plant was one of only two locations in the U.S. that made a particular but necessary ingredient for an atomic bomb.]  In 1958, lithium was hailed as the wonder metal, used for rocket fuel. A picture of the plant is in the May 9, 1957 issue of the Dispatch.
 

Al Hartman sent us this photo:  "Back in the Winter of 1956 or 57 at 28th and Colorado Ave S there were far fewer trees. From my front yard you could see me on left with friend Jay on right in the picture. North of us, way in the background on the far left past 2700 Colorado, is the Lithium Plant. Between 27th and Colorado and the Lithium Plant were just railroad tracks, swamp and grassy field but now is all redone to be softball fields and walking paths on the East side of Peter Hobart School. Kids used to skate and play hockey in the swamp when it froze up during Winter until Birchwood Park opened and had a rink. It sure was tough skating in a frozen swamp navigating around the tall grass spots and the frozen over air bubbles.

"At some time I heard the old Lithium Plant was or became a food canning or processing plant. It was always a mysterious building with other rumors floating around. I know scientists tried using a combo of Lithium and Flourine in rocket fuel at one time but it never worked out. I remember later on in the 1960s after the Lithium Company moved out seeing that the facility had its own gas tank and pump for fueling trucks."

The company moved out of state in 1960. Dumping and fuel spills contaminated the soil and necessitated the demolition of the building in 2003. A new office building was built that same year.

Current building, 2004

 

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This information comes from a variety of sources: newspapers, books, yearbooks, phone directories, interviews, etc. Given the varied sources, we cannot guarantee that all of this information is correct, and welcome any additions and corrections. Please contact us with your contributions and comments.