The world’s demand for lithium is rapidly increasing as it is the key component for most batteries. This has caused extraordinary growth in the modern lithium industry and many countries have taken advantage of the mineral’s vast potential.
For many years, lithium production has been largely dominated by the Latin American countries of Chile, Argentina, and Bolivia. However, this list has shifted over the past decade as other countries have begun paying more attention to this essential mineral.
As of 2021, the top nine countries producing Lithium are Chile, Argentina, China, Zimbabwe, Australia, Congo, Portugal, Bolivia and Peru. Many of these countries are experiencing a mining boom as more and more technology companies who manufacture batteries seek out the mineral’s energy.
Chile is currently the world’s highest lithium producer at 34%. Its locations such as Atacama and Salar de Uyuni are particularly well-endowed with lithium and they have made progress in establishing itself as the world’s major production source.
Argentina comes second with a 24% share of the world’s total lithium production. The country is the home of the world’s 3rd largest lithium-producing deposit, the Salar de Hombre Muerto. This salar generates 35 tonnes of lithium a day and accounts for 9.5% of the country’s total production.
China is the world’s third-largest lithium producer with a 13% share. The country has made tremendous progress in lithium production in recent years despite previously having only 8% production share. This progress is due to rapid technological advancements that have enabled China’s lithium-ion battery industry to thrive.
Zimbabwe, Australia, Congo, Portugal, Bolivia and Peru round out our list of top Lithium-producing countries with 5%, 3.3%, 3.2%, 2.8%, 2.3%, and 1.0 % of the world’s production, respectively.
These countries all have plans to increase lithium production and expand their capacity over the next few years. This will help meet increasing demand for the resource and also provide an important boost to the economy of each respective country.
Overall, the world’s lithium production is set to continue to rise over the coming decade as modern technology becomes an ever-more integral part of our lives. As technology companies increasingly rely on lithium-ion batteries, then discovering new lithium sources is of critical importance. The top lithium producing countries outlined here today will be important players in this field over the coming years.