High 9 Lithium-producing International locations | Nasdaq | Commodities
Curiosity in lithium continues to grow because of its function within the lithium-ion batteries that energy electric autos (EVs). As a end result, more and more consideration is touchdown on the highest lithium-producing nations.
About 80 % of the lithium produced globally goes towards battery manufacturing, however different industries additionally devour the metallic. For instance, 7 % of lithium is utilized in ceramics and glass, whereas 4 % goes to lubricating greases.
In keeping with the US Geological Survey, lithium use in batteries has elevated lately due to the use of rechargeable batteries in transportable digital units, in addition to in electric instruments, EVs and grid storage purposes.
Producers generally use lithium carbonate or lithium hydroxide in these batteries slightly than lithium metallic. Lithium-ion batteries additionally embody different important battery metals, akin to cobalt, graphite and nickel.
After a unstable 2024 that noticed lithium carbonate costs drop 22 % amid oversupply, analysts predict continued market turbulence in 2025. Nonetheless, manufacturing cuts may slim the excess from 84,000 to 33,000 metric tons, whereas sturdy EV demand — pushed by China’s file gross sales — stays a key issue, as geopolitical tensions and rising tariffs on Chinese language EVs add uncertainty in North America.
Regardless of the latest market challenges, world lithium demand is set to surge over the following decade because of demand from EVs and power storage. Benchmark Mineral Intelligence forecasts a more than 30 % year-on-year increase in demand from these sectors in 2025.
Assembly this growth will require up to 150 new battery factories and US$116 billion in investments by 2030 to stop provide deficits. China will stay dominant, however the EU and US are poised for the quickest enlargement. With lithium mining projected to grow at a 7.2 % compound annual growth price by way of 2035, the sector faces a essential decade of investment and provide chain restructuring.
As demand for lithium continues to rise, which nations will present the lithium the world requires? The latest knowledge from the US Geological Survey reveals that the world’s high lithium-producing nations are doing their best to satisfy rising demand from power storage and EVs — in truth, worldwide lithium manufacturing rose sharply from 2023 to 2024, coming in at 240,000 metric tons (MT) of lithium content material final yr, in comparison with 204,000 MT in 2023. These totals don’t embody US manufacturing, as that knowledge is withheld.
What are the highest lithium-producing nations?
The place is lithium mined? Australia, Chile and China are the highest three for lithium manufacturing by nation. Zimbabwe has additionally risen considerably within the ranks, shifting from sixth in 2023 to fourth in 2024. Because the EV lithium-ion battery market continues to grow, it’s doubtless these nations will vie for bigger roles in supplying the metallic within the years to come back.
Learn on for our listing of high world lithium manufacturing by nation.
1. Australia
Lithium manufacturing: 88,000 metric tons
In 2024, Australia produced 88,000 metric tons of lithium, making it the world’s largest producer of lithium. Though the nation tops the listing, year-over-year manufacturing decreased simply over 4 % from 91,700 MT in 2023 to 88,000 MT in 2024.
It is doubtless the nation’s lithium manufacturing declined in 2024 as a end result of weaker demand within the EV space, which in flip pushed lithium costs decrease.
Australia is home to many important lithium mines. The Greenbushes arduous rock lithium mine in Western Australia is operated by Talison Lithium, a subsidiary that’s collectively owned by miners Albemarle (NYSE:ALB), Tianqi Lithium (OTC Pink:TQLCF,SZSE:002466) and IGO (ASX:IGO,OTC Pink:IPDGF). Greenbushes has been in operation for over a quarter of a century, making it the longest repeatedly operating mining space within the state.
The Greenbushes advanced additionally homes 4 spodumene focus plants with a mixed annual manufacturing capability of 1.5 million MT. The mine provides spodumene to the Kemerton lithium plant and different Albemarle conversion websites worldwide for processing.
Mount Marion, a three way partnership between Mineral Sources (ASX:MIN,OTC Pink:MALRF) and Ganfeng Lithium (OTC Pink:GNENF,SZSE:002460,HKEX:1772), is one other key lithium mine in Australia. The project, which is positioned within the Yilgarn Craton, southwest of Kalgoorlie, additionally comprises a processing plant with an annual manufacturing capability of 600,000 MT.
Australia additionally holds 7 million MT of recognized JORC-compliant lithium reserves, which places it behind Chile’s 9.3 million MT. It’s value noting that the majority of Australia’s lithium provide is exported to China as spodumene.
2. Chile
Lithium manufacturing: 49,000 metric tons
Chilean lithium manufacturing topped 49,000 metric tons in 2024. Lithium miners in Chile have steadily elevated the nation’s output by 127 % since 2020 when manufacturing was 21,500 MT.
Chile’s year-over-year growth has positioned it because the second high lithium producer within the world. In contrast to Australia, the place lithium is extracted from hard-rock mines, Chile’s lithium is present in lithium brine deposits.
The Salar de Atacama salt flat in Chile generates roughly half the income for SQM (NYSE:SQM), a high lithium producer. The Salar de Atacama can be the home of one other high lithium brine producer — US-based Albemarle.
In April 2023, market individuals and lithium miners had been stunned by the Chilean authorities’s plans to nationalize the lithium industry. Whereas finally it wasn’t a true nationalization, the nation is shifting to gain controlling stakes in lithium belongings within the Salar de Atacama and Maricunga by way of its state-owned mining company Codelco.
SQM has signed an association with Codelco that can permit it to proceed operations within the Salar de Atacama till 2060. The 2 corporations will create a new entity for the operations, with Codelco proudly owning 50 % plus one share of the company.
Chile’s lithium potential has additionally attracted the eye of main US oil corporations. In February 2025 news broke that Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM) is in talks with Chilean officers about lithium alternatives, as fossil fuel companies ramp up investments in EV battery metals.
US oilfield companies firm SLB (NYSE:SLB) can be increasing into lithium, with its Head of Mining, Nicholas Lugansky, assembly Chilean officers in January. SLB is amongst eight corporations testing lithium extraction techniques and applied sciences in northern Chile.
Freedom_wanted / Shutterstock
Lithium brine operations in Chile’s Salar de Atacama.
3. China
Lithium manufacturing: 41,000 metric tons
China produced 41,000 metric tons of lithium in 2024, incomes it the third spot on the highest producing nations listing. The Asian nation noticed its lithium provide grow by practically 15 % year-on-year, from 35,700 in 2023 to 41,000 in 2024.
China is the biggest shopper of lithium because of its electronics manufacturing and EV industries. It additionally produces more than two-thirds of the world’s lithium-ion batteries and controls most of the world’s lithium-processing services. China at present will get the bulk of its lithium from Australia, however it’s trying to develop its capability.
In January of 2024, China introduced the invention of a large million-metric-ton lithium deposit within the nation’s Sichuan Province. Lithium exploration in China during the last three years has boosted the nation’s lithium reserves by 1 million MT, to three million MT, in line with the USGS.
Nonetheless, in early 2025 the China Geological Survey, pegged the nation’s whole reserves to be more than 30 million MT.
4. Zimbabwe
Lithium manufacturing: 22,000 metric tons
In 2024 Zimbabwe’s lithium manufacturing ballooned to 22,000 metric tons, an exponential increase from 2022’s 800 MT. 12 months-over-year lithium output rose 47 % between 2023 and 2024, from 14,900 MT to 22,000 MT.
Complete reserves in Zimbabwe have additionally seen growth climbing from 310,000 MT in 2023 to 480,000 MT as per the US Geological Survey.
In December 2022, Zimbabwe banned the export of uncooked lithium in an effort to construct out the nation’s capability to course of battery-grade lithium domestically. The ban excludes corporations which can be already developing mines or processing plants in Zimbabwe. Lithium focus is now on monitor to turn out to be Zimbabwe’s third largest mineral export, behind gold and platinum-group metals, reported Reuters in November 2023.
Lithium-producing nations in Africa have attracted a lot consideration from Chinese language companies lately, particularly Zimbabwe. Sinomine Useful resource Group (SZSE:002738), for instance, purchased a stake in Zimbabwe’s rising lithium industry with the acquisition of the Bikita mine, the African nation’s oldest lithium mine.
Zimbabwe’s different key lithium mines embody Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt’s (SHA:603799) Arcadia mine and state miner Kuvimba Mining Home’s Sandawana mine.
In September 2024, Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt and Tsingshan Group,a nickel and stainless-steel company, introduced plans to review and construct a lithium mine and processing plant at Sandawana positioned within the south of Zimbabwe.
5. Argentina
Lithium manufacturing: 18,000 metric tons
Argentina’s annual lithium manufacturing grew considerably in 2024, totaling 18,000 metric tons. 12 months-over-year lithium manufacturing elevated by more than one hundred pc from 8,630 MT in 2023.
It’s well-known that Bolivia, Argentina and Chile make up the Lithium Triangle. Argentina’s Salar del Hombre Muerto district hosts important lithium brines, and its reserves – 4 million MT – are enough for no less than 75 years.
At current, lithium mining within the nation consists of two main brine operations at present in manufacturing and 10 initiatives which can be in development. Analysts at consultancy firm Eurasia Group project that Argentina’s lithium manufacturing has the potential to grow roughly tenfold by 2027, as per CNBC.
One of the biggest lithium miners in Argentina is Arcadium Lithium (ASX:LTM,NYSE:ALTM), the end result of the January 2024 merger of Livent and Allkem. The new entity is the third largest lithium producer within the world. That is quickly to change as Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO,NYSE:RIO,LSE:RIO) is set to close its acquisition of Arcadium in early March, bringing its belongings beneath Rio Tinto’s umbrella.
Rio Tinto additionally owns the Rincon lithium brine project, which is set to be a main contributor to the nation’s lithium output as soon as it begins business manufacturing, focused for 2028. In December 2024, Rio Tinto introduced a US$2.5 billion enlargement. As soon as operational, Rincon will use direct lithium extraction technology and produce 60,000 MT of battery-grade lithium carbonate yearly, combining a 3,000 MT starter plant and the 57,000 MT enlargement.
6. Brazil
Lithium manufacturing: 10,000 metric tons
Lithium manufacturing in Brazil continues to development increased. In 2024 the South American nation produced 10,000 MT, nearly double 2023’s 5,260 MT. After attaining output of 400 MT or much less from 2011 to 2018, the nation’s manufacturing hit 2,400 MT in 2019 and has continued to rise year-over-year.
Brazil’s authorities plans to invest more than US$2.1 billion by 2030 into increasing the nation’s lithium manufacturing capability.
On the state degree, in 2023 the Minas Gerais authorities launched the Lithium Valley Brazil initiative, which is aimed toward selling investment in lithium mining. This system consists of 4 publicly listed lithium corporations with belongings within the state’s Jequitinhonha Valley: Sigma Lithium (TSXV:SGML,NASDAQ:SGML), Lithium Ionic (TSXV:LTH,OTCQX:LTHCF), Atlas Lithium (NASDAQ:ATLX) and Latin Sources (ASX:LRS,OTC Pink:LRSRF).
EV makers are additionally eyeing Brazil’s lithium market. In February 2025, Reuters reported that Chinese language EV giant BYD (OTC Pink:BYDDF,HKEX:1211,SZSE:002594) reportedly entered the mining sector in 2023, when it acquired 852 hectares of lithium-rich land in Minas Gerais’ Jequitinhonha Valley. The company is at present building an EV manufacturing facility in Bahia state, however construction was paused on the finish of 2024 because of “slavery-like” working circumstances.
7. Canada
Lithium manufacturing: 4,300 metric tons
Canada’s lithium manufacturing elevated to 4,300 metric tons in 2024, representing a 32 % uptick from 2023’s 3,240 MT.
The nation at present produces lithium from two operations: the Tanco mine in Manitoba, owned by Sinomine subsidiary Tantalum Mining, and the North American Lithium operation in Québec, a three way partnership between Piedmont Lithium (ASX:PLL,NASDAQ:PLL) and Sayona Mining (ASX:SYA,OTCQX:SYAXF).
Whereas Canada is home to a wealth of hard-rock spodumene deposits and lithium brine assets, a lot of it stays underdeveloped. In an effort to grow a sturdy North American lithium provide chain for the battery industry, the federal government has invested in a quantity of lithium initiatives, together with C$27 million for E3 Lithium (TSXV:ETL,OTCQX:EEMMF), a lithium useful resource and technology company, and C$1.07 million to personal company Prairie Lithium. Each are developing direct lithium extraction technology in Canada’s prairie provinces Alberta and Saskatchewan.
In November 2023, the Canadian authorities launched the C$1.5 billion Crucial Minerals Infrastructure Fund. The fund seeks to handle gaps within the infrastructure required for the sustainable development of the nation’s essential minerals manufacturing, together with battery metals like lithium.
Canada’s efforts had been rewarded in early 2024, when BloombergNEF gave the nation the highest spot within the fourth version of its World Lithium-ion Battery Provide Chain Rating.
On the finish of 2024, the Canadian authorities’s Export Growth Canada program pledged up to C$100 million in financing to Inexperienced Expertise Metals (ASX:GT1,OTC Pink:GTMLF) for the development of Ontario’s first lithium mine at Seymour Lake.
8. Portugal
Lithium manufacturing: 380 metric tons
Portugal’s lithium manufacturing remained flat in 2024 coming in at 380 metric tons, the identical tally because the earlier yr. Output has declined drastically since 2021, when its lithium manufacturing reached 900 MT.
Most of Portugal’s lithium comes from small-scale operations focusing on quartz and feldspar. Regardless of this lithium-producing nation’s comparatively low output, Portugal’s lithium reserves stand at 60,000 MT.
In September 2024, Savannah Sources (LSE:SAV,OTC Pink:SAVNF) delayed the beginning of lithium manufacturing at its Barroso project in Portugal to 2027, citing extended environmental approval processes and regulatory hurdles. The project has additionally obtained public backlash because of issues concerning the environmental affect of lithium mining.
The project, set to be Western Europe’s first important lithium mine, is projected to play a pivotal function within the EU’s ambitions of battery materials self-sufficiency. Regardless of the setback, Savannah stays dedicated to advancing the development, emphasizing its function in strengthening Europe’s EV provide chain.
9. United States
Lithium manufacturing: Withheld
Within the remaining place on this high lithium-producing nations listing is the US, which has withheld manufacturing numbers to keep away from disclosing proprietary company knowledge. Its solely output final yr got here from two operations: a Nevada-based brine operation, more than likely within the Clayton Valley, which hosts Albemarle’s Silver Peak mine, and the brine-sourced waste tailings of Utah-based US Magnesium, the biggest main magnesium producer in North America.
There are a handful of main lithium initiatives underway within the US, together with Lithium Americas’ (TSX:LAC,NYSE:LAC) Thacker Move lithium claystone project, Piedmont Lithium’s hard-rock lithium project and Normal Lithium’s (TSXV:SLI,OTCQX:STLHF) Arkansas Smackover lithium brine project.
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Securities Disclosure: I, Georgia Williams, maintain no direct investment curiosity in any company talked about on this article.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the writer and don’t essentially replicate these of Nasdaq, Inc.
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