energy
Lithium
Country panel
- Import reliance
- No dataUSGS reports >50%; exact figure withheld
- Official critical list
- Yes2025 — Final 2025 List of Critical Minerals, 2025
- Top import partners
- Chile 54%USGS US import sources 2021–2024
- Argentina 43%USGS US import sources 2021–2024
Global totals
- Production
- 290,000 t2025 — USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, 2025
- Reserves
- 37 million t2025 — USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, 2025
- Reserve life
- known reserves cover ~128 years at current production
Concentration
- Australia 31.9%
- China 21.5%
- Chile 19.4%
Production share
- Australia31.9%
- China21.5%
- Chile19.4%
- Zimbabwe9.7%
- Argentina8.0%
- Brazil4.2%
- Mali3.3%
- Canada1.9%
- Portugal0.1%
Colour scale is colour-blind-safe sand to rust. Grey means no listed figure. “Other countries” is not drawn. On small screens the map is a ranked list.
Top producers
Share of listed production versus share of listed reserves.
| Country | Production | Reserves |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | 31.9% | 24.7% |
| China | 21.5% | 13.5% |
| Chile | 19.4% | 27% |
| Zimbabwe | 9.7% | 1.5% |
| Argentina | 8% | 12.9% |
| Brazil | 4.2% | 1.6% |
| Mali | 3.3% | 1.1% |
| Canada | 1.9% | 4.7% |
| Portugal | 0.1% | 0.2% |
Uses
Recycling
Battery-recycling plants continued to be built in 2025; no USGS recycling rate is published for lithium.
Substitution
Substitution is possible in some batteries, ceramics, greases and glass, generally with performance or cost penalties.