USGS discovers massive lithium supply beneath the Appalachians could power the U.S. for centuries
The estimate could cover 328 years of U.S. imports and power 130 million electric vehicles, the agency said.
- The United States Geological Survey identified an estimated 2.3 million metric tons of economically recoverable lithium in the Appalachian region, concentrated in the Carolinas, Maine, and New Hampshire.
- Currently, the United States relies on foreign imports for over half its lithium supply, primarily from China, Chile, and Argentina; this discovery represents roughly 328 years of current U.S. imports.
- The USGS estimates this lithium could support production of 130 million electric vehicles or 1.6 million grid-scale batteries, demonstrating capacity to stabilize the power grid and meet energy storage needs.
- Extracting these resources faces significant regulatory and financial hurdles, as development can require a decade; the U.S. currently hosts only one operating mine in Silver Peak, Nevada, producing 610 metric tons in 2024.
- USGS Director Ned Mamula said global lithium demand will increase more than 48 times by 2040, underscoring why this assessment under the Energy Act of 2020 positions the U.S. for strategic mineral independence.
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Appalachian Lithium Discovery Could Reshape U.S. Supply
Source: Bloomberg Creative / Getty Lithium deposits beneath parts of the Appalachian region could supply the United States with critical battery materials for centuries, according to new estimates from the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The agency identifies about 2.3 million metric tons of lithium oxide stored in pegmatite rock formations across the eastern U.S., particularly in the Carolinas, with additional deposits in western Maine …
The United States may have found one of its largest strategic lithium reserves, in a warehouse located in the Apalaches region, with an estimated capacity to produce about 2.3 million metric tons of...
Major lithium discovery in Carolina mountains; North Carolina lithium mine clears major hurdle: EPA
RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN/NewsNation) — The head of the Environmental Protection Agency is calling a newly identified lithium deposit in the Appalachian Mountains -- concentrated in the Carolinas -- a “great find,” saying it could help the United States reduce its reliance on China for critical minerals essential to modern technology. Federal officials made the announcement [...]
Massive US lithium discovery concentrated in Carolina mountains; NC lithium mine clears major hurdle: EPA
RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN/NewsNation) -- The head of the Environmental Protection Agency is calling a newly identified lithium deposit in the Appalachian Mountains -- concentrated in the Carolinas -- a “great find,” saying it could help the United States reduce its reliance on China for critical minerals essential to modern technology. Federal officials made the announcement [...]
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