Argentina, Bolivia And Chile Hold World’s Largest Lithium Resources

(Energy Analytics Institute, Aaron Simonsky and Ian Silverman, 23.Feb.2019) — Argentina, Bolivia and Chile hold the largest lithium resources in the world and consequently in the Latin America and Caribbean region, while Brazil and Mexico also factor in to world totals.

Although lithium markets vary by location, global end-use markets are estimated as follows: batteries, 46%; ceramics and glass, 27%; lubricating greases, 7%; polymer production, 5%; continuous casting mold flux powders, 4%; air treatment, 2%; and other uses, 9%, according to data published by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGC).

Lithium consumption for batteries has increased significantly in recent years because rechargeable lithium batteries are used extensively in the growing market for portable electronic devices and increasingly are used in electric tools, electric vehicles, and grid storage applications. Lithium minerals were used directly as ore concentrates in ceramics and glass applications, according to the USGC.

World Resources: Owing to continuing exploration, lithium resources have increased substantially worldwide and total more than 53 million tons. Identified lithium resources in the United States, from continental brines, geothermal brines, hectorite, oilfield brines, and pegmatites, have been revised to 6.8 million tons. Identified lithium resources in other countries have been revised to approximately 47 million tons, according to data published by the USGC and U.S. Department of the Interior in a joint report titled: Mineral Commodities Summaries 2018.

Identified lithium resources are in the following countries:

Argentina, 9.8 million tons

Bolivia, 9 million tons

Chile, 8.4 million tons

China, 7 million tons

Australia, 5 million tons

Canada, 1.9 million tons

Congo (Kinshasa), 1 million tons

Russia, 1 million tons

Serbia, 1 million tons

Czechia, 840,000 tons

Zimbabwe, 500,000 tons

Spain, 400,000 tons

Mali, 200,000 tons

Brazil, 180,000 tons

Mexico, 180,000 tons

Portugal, 100,000 tons

Austria, 50,000 tons.

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