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Daily Data InsightsThe world’s lithium is mined in just a handful of countries

The world’s lithium is mined in just a handful of countries

Bar chart showing the global lithium production by country in 2023. Australia leads with 48% of global production, followed by Chile at 24% and China at 18%. Argentina contributes 5.3%, Brazil 2.7%, Zimbabwe 1.9%, Canada 1.9%, and Portugal 0.21%. The chart highlights that Australia, China, and the "lithium triangle" (Chile, Argentina, and Bolivia) dominate lithium production.

Lithium is a critical component in many industries, including pharmaceuticals, optics, ceramics, and glass. But it’s best known for its use in batteries. Most rechargeable batteries in mobile phones, laptops, and consumer electronics are made from lithium-ion chemistries.

It’s also receiving increasing attention as a critical mineral in batteries for electric cars and storage for renewable energy.

Just a handful of countries supply the world’s lithium. In the chart, you can see each country’s share of global mined production in 2023. Australia produced almost half. Combined with China, Chile, and Argentina, these four countries produced over 90% of the total.

Chile, Argentina, and Bolivia form the so-called “lithium triangle”, which are large lithium deposits that span across these three countries. While Bolivia has huge lithium resources, it has produced very little so far.

This data comes from the United States Geological Survey.

Explore which countries produce other critical minerals in our data explorer →

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