Fuji Photo Film Co. recently announced the development of lithium batteries employing oxide negative electrodes. Under near-equilibrium conditions these oxides are converted to lithium alloys during the first charging cycle. Thereafter, the properties should be essentially those of the resulting binary lithium alloys. The basic principles involved in the use of alloys as negative electrodes, as well as the conversion of oxides to alloys, are presented. Available data on the behavior of a number of lithium alloys and binary oxides as negative electrodes in lithium systems are also included. The lithium-tin system is discussed in some detail as it is a particularly relevant example.