These within the lithium sector and investing in lithium shares are sometimes inquisitive about which international locations produce the many of the battery metallic, however they could not cease to contemplate the highest lithium reserves by nation.
Main lithium-producing international locations are, after all, house to a lot of lithium firms. Most of the world’s high lithium producers additionally maintain important reserves, and their reserves may give an thought of how a lot room these international locations need to develop. On the similar time, nations with excessive reserves might turn into extra important lithium gamers sooner or later.
Wanting ahead, lithium demand is predicted to proceed growing. That’s as a result of, along with metals resembling cobalt, lithium is a key uncooked materials within the lithium-ion batteries used to energy electrical automobiles; it is usually important for the power storage sector. Nevertheless, lithium provide to fulfill that growing demand remains to be unsure.
On that be aware, right here’s an outline of lithium reserves by nation, with a deal with the 4 international locations that maintain essentially the most lithium. Knowledge is predicated on the most up-to-date info from the US Geological Survey.
1. Chile
Lithium reserves: 9,300,000 MT
Chile was the second largest producer of lithium in 2032 at 44,000 metric tons (MT), nevertheless it has essentially the most reserves on this planet by a big quantity. The nation reportedly holds many of the world’s “economically extractable” lithium reserves, and its Salar de Atacama hosts roughly 33 p.c of the world’s lithium reserve base. SQM (NYSE:SQM) and Albemarle (NYSE:ALB) are the important thing lithium producers in Chile, with operations within the Salar de Atacama.
In late April 2023, Chilean President Gabriel Boric introduced plans to partially nationalize the nation’s lithium business in a bid to bolster the financial system and defend the setting. “That is the very best probability we have now at transitioning to a sustainable and developed financial system,” he stated on the time.
Chile’s state-owned mining firm Codelco has negotiated for a lot bigger stakes in each SQM and Albemarle’s lithium property within the nation, and can have controlling pursuits in all operations in that salar going ahead.
2. Australia
Lithium reserves: 4,800,000 MT
Curiously, whereas Australia was the most important lithium-producing nation on this planet in 2023, it is a distant second when it comes to reserves of the vital commodity. In contrast to these present in Chile and Argentina, Australia’s lithium reserves are within the type of hard-rock spodumene deposits. Nearly all of the nation’s reserves are present in Western Australia.
The nation is house to the Greenbushes lithium mine, which is operated by Talison Lithium, a subsidiary collectively owned by lithium producers Tianqi Lithium (OTC Pink:TQLCF,SZSE:002466) and Albemarle, in addition to Australian nickel-gold miner IGO (ASX:IGO,OTC Pink:IPGDF). Greenbushes has been producing lithium since 1985, and it has been the topic of a number of expansions in recent times.
3. Argentina
Lithium reserves: 3,600,000 MT
Argentina is the fourth largest lithium producer on this planet, and final yr it put out 9,600 MT of the metallic. It ranks third when it comes to international lithium reserves at 3,600,000 MT. It’s value noting that Chile, Argentina and Bolivia comprise the “Lithium Triangle,” which hosts greater than half of the world’s lithium reserves.
In Might 2022, the Argentine authorities dedicated to investing as much as US$4.2 billion in its lithium business over the subsequent three years with the aim of accelerating lithium output. Extra just lately, in April 2024, the federal government greenlit Argosy Minerals’ (ASX:AGY,OTC Pink:ARYMF) growth of its Salta web site to lift annual lithium manufacturing from 2,000 MT to 12,000 MT.
4. China
Lithium reserves: 3,000,000 MT
China holds lithium reserves of three,000,000 MT, and final yr it produced 33,000 MT of the mineral, a 7,400 MT enhance from the earlier yr. The nation has a mixture of deposit varieties; lithium brines make up nearly all of its reserves, nevertheless it has spodumene and lepidolite hard-rock reserves as properly.
Whereas it does have important manufacturing and is working to extend it, the Asian nation at the moment nonetheless imports many of the lithium it wants for its battery cells from Australia.
China’s lithium utilization is excessive as a result of its electronics manufacturing and electrical automobile industries. It additionally produces greater than two-thirds of the world’s lithium-ion batteries and controls many of the world’s lithium-processing amenities.
Different lithium reserves by nation
Whole worldwide lithium reserves stand at 28,000,000 MT. Whereas Chile, Australia, Argentina and China are house to the world’s highest lithium reserves, different international locations additionally maintain important quantities of the metallic.
Right here’s a fast have a look at these different nations:
- United States — 1,100,000 MT
- Canada — 930,000 MT
- Brazil — 390,000 MT
- Zimbabwe — 310,000 MT
- Portugal — 60,000 MT
Because the lithium business continues to develop, manufacturing has adopted, and plenty of of those international locations with excessive reserves have gotten important producers as properly.
FAQs for lithium reserves
The place on this planet are the very best lithium reserves?
Chile has the most important lithium reserves, and the three international locations that make up the Lithium Triangle — Argentina, Bolivia and Chile — collectively account for greater than 63 p.c of the world’s lithium reserves.
How ought to India use its newly discovered lithium reserves?
In 2021, India’s first lithium deposit was discovered within the Mandya district of Karnataka. Extra just lately, a a lot bigger quantity of lithium has been uncovered in India. In early 2023, the Geological Survey of India reported the invention of 5.9 million MT of the fabric within the Salal-Haimana space of the Reasi district in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Indian authorities hopes to develop its newly discovered lithium reserves with a purpose to scale back its lithium imports and construct out its home zero-emissions know-how business. Step one contain modifications to mining legal guidelines that can permit non-public corporations to mine lithium in India. “To leverage the deposits, the federal government has eased the mining course of by permitting the public sale of lithium mines,” reported the East Asia Discussion board.
What are the largest lithium reserves in Europe?
Portugal has the largest lithium reserves in Europe, coming in at 60,000 MT. The Southern European nation produced 380 MT of lithium in 2023, the identical because the earlier yr.
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Securities Disclosure: I, Melissa Pistilli, maintain no direct funding curiosity in any firm talked about on this article.
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