Lithium - Production, Reserves & Supply Concentration
A light metal used in rechargeable batteries, glass, ceramics and lubricants.Production and reserves are measured in tonnes of contained lithium. The world production total excludes US output, which USGS withholds for confidentiality.
Lithium Global Production & Country Share
Measure: Mine production (metric tons)
Lithium Production by Country (2020-2025)
Mine production · Unit: metric tons
| Rank | Country | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025e | Share | 5Y Chg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Australia | 39,700 | 55,300 | 74,700 | 86,000 | 82,700 | 92,000 | 31.7% | +131.7% |
| #2 | China | 13,300 | 14,000 | 22,600 | 33,000 | 41,400 | 62,000 | 21.4% | +366.2% |
| #3 | Chile | 21,500 | 28,300 | 38,000 | 44,000 | 48,900 | 56,000 | 19.3% | +160.5% |
| #4 | Zimbabwe | 417 | 710 | 1,030 | 3,400 | 20,000 | 28,000 | 9.7% | +6614.6% |
| #5 | Argentina | 5,900 | 5,970 | 6,590 | 9,600 | 13,800 | 23,000 | 7.9% | +289.8% |
| #6 | Brazil | 1,420 | 1,700 | 2,630 | 4,900 | 10,200 | 12,000 | 4.1% | +745.1% |
| #7 | Mali | - | - | - | - | 770 | 9,400 | 3.2% | - |
| #8 | Canada | - | 0 | 520 | 3,400 | 4,820 | 5,600 | 1.9% | - |
| #9 | Portugal | 348 | 900 | 380 | 380 | 380 | 380 | 0.1% | +9.2% |
| - | World Total | 82,500 | 107,000 | 146,000 | 180,000 | 222,000 | 290,000 | 100.0% | +251.5% |
Lithium Proven Reserves by Country (2025)
Basis: Reserves · Unit: metric tons · Global Implied Reserve Life: 127.6 years
| Rank | Country | Reserves (metric tons) | World Share | USGS Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Chile | 9,200,000 | 24.9% | See Appendix C for resource and reserve definitions and information concerning data sources. |
| #2 | Australia | 8,400,000 | 22.7% | See Appendix C for resource and reserve definitions and information concerning data sources. - For Australia, Joint Ore Reserves Committee-compliant or equivalent reserves were 5.1 million tons. |
| #3 | China | 4,600,000 | 12.4% | See Appendix C for resource and reserve definitions and information concerning data sources. |
| #4 | United States | 4,400,000 | 11.9% | See Appendix C for resource and reserve definitions and information concerning data sources. |
| #4 | Argentina | 4,400,000 | 11.9% | See Appendix C for resource and reserve definitions and information concerning data sources. |
| #6 | Canada | 1,600,000 | 4.3% | See Appendix C for resource and reserve definitions and information concerning data sources. |
| #7 | Brazil | 540,000 | 1.5% | See Appendix C for resource and reserve definitions and information concerning data sources. |
| #8 | Zimbabwe | 500,000 | 1.4% | See Appendix C for resource and reserve definitions and information concerning data sources. |
| #9 | Mali | 370,000 | 1.0% | See Appendix C for resource and reserve definitions and information concerning data sources. |
| #10 | Portugal | 60,000 | 0.2% | See Appendix C for resource and reserve definitions and information concerning data sources. |
| - | World Total Reserves | 37,000,000 | 100.0% | See Appendix C for resource and reserve definitions and information concerning data sources. |
U.S. Supply, Consumption & Net Import Reliance (2021-2025)
| Salient Measure | Unit | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025e |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lithium: Production | metric tons | W | W | W | W | W |
| Lithium: Imports for consumption | metric tons | 2,640 | 3,260 | 3,390 | 3,020 | 3,800 |
| Lithium: Exports | metric tons | 1,870 | 2,440 | 1,960 | 1,690 | 2,000 |
| Lithium: Consumption, apparent | metric tons | W | W | W | W | W |
| Lithium: Employment, mine and mill, number | number | 70 | 70 | 70 | 70 | 70 |
| Lithium: U.S. Net Import Reliance | % of consumption | >25% | >25% | >50% | >50% | >50% |
Frequently Asked Questions - Lithium
Which country leads lithium production (mine production)?
Australia leads the 2025 USGS country table for mine production, with 92,000 metric tons (estimated) (31.7% of the reported world total). World output was 290,000 metric tons in 2025.
Which country holds the largest reported lithium reserves?
Chile ranks first in the USGS reserve table, with 9,200,000 metric tons (Reserves) (24.9% of the reported world total) against a reported world total of 37,000,000 metric tons.
What is US net import reliance and import sourcing for lithium?
In 2025, US net import reliance was reported at >50% (Net import reliance as a percentage of apparent consumption). Across 2021-24, leading US import sources (All) were Chile (54%), Argentina (43%), Other countries (3%).
How is lithium classified on the US Critical Minerals List and what are its primary uses?
Status: Listed on 2025 US List (2022 & 2025 lists). Primary applications cited in USGS summaries include: Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles and grid storage, glass-ceramics, and high-temperature greases. Global lithium extraction comes from two primary geological sources: hard-rock spodumene pegmatite mines (predominant in Australia) and continental salar brines (predominant in Chile and Argentina), converted into lithium carbonate and hydroxide.