MINING SITES
“ Tesla ’ s target of producing 20 million EVs a year by 2030 would require almost seven times the present total global annual supply of lithium ”
BRIAN MENELL , CEO AND CHAIRMAN , TECHMET
FOCUS ON : LITHIUM
WHAT IS LITHIUM ? Lithium – from the Greek ‘ líthos ’, meaning ‘ stone ’ – is a chemical element ( Li ) and a soft , silvery-white alkali metal . It is the least dense metal and the least dense solid element . Like all alkali metals – including sodium and potassium – lithium is highly reactive and flammable , and must be stored in vacuum , or in an inert liquid , such as purified kerosene or mineral oil .
HOW MUCH LITHIUM IS MINED ANNUALLY ? Worldwide , lithium production in 2022 increased year on year by 23 %, to approximately 130,000 tonnes . This was in response to strong demand from the lithiumion battery market , which also increased the price of lithium , encouraging greater production . Every 100,000 metric tonnes of lithium is enough to manufacture an estimated 12,500,000 EV batteries .
WHICH COUNTRIES PRODUCE THE MOST LITHIUM ? Global lithium production surpassed 100,000 tonnes for the first time in 2021 , quadrupling from 2010 , with demand driven by lithium ’ s importance to battery technology . A total of 90 % of the world ’ s lithium production comes from just three countries :
• Australia ( 52 %)
• Chile ( 25 %)
• China ( 13 %)
68 November 2024