9 Lithium-Producing Nations: Latest 2023 Rankings!

The world’s lithium production is quickly increasing, due to its use in many everyday products such as electronics, and its role in increasing the capabilities of renewable energy storage. As lithium becomes more and more sought-after, some countries are now positioning themselves to capitalize on this resource. Lithium is primarily produced from brine springs found in regions with high evaporation. This natural resource is also becoming increasingly important for the production of energy storage elements, as batteries utilizing lithium-ion technology are becoming more commonplace. The following countries are the world’s top nine lithium producers, in ascending order: Chile, Australia, China, Argentina, Zimbabwe, Portugal, Bolivia, and finally, the United States. Chile remains the leading global producer of lithium, controlling over 40 percent of the world’s total production, largely due to the presence of dried salt lake sediment in the Atacama Desert, which is home to the majority of the world’s known lithium reserves. Australia is the world’s second-largest producer with around 25 percent of global production. The green continent has the highest concentration of lithium reserves, making it a significant producer and supplier. China is the third leading producer. While China has only a small amount of brine deposits, the country produces over 10 percent of global lithium supply from mines and plants located in Tibet and Sichuan provinces. Argentina possesses about 5 percent of the world’s lithium reserves. It is currently the world’s fourth-largest lithium producer, with a focus on producing lithium from brines near the border region with Chile. Zimbabwe is the fifth biggest producer of lithium due to its own domestic reserves as well as production from shared reserves in the Zambian copperbelt. Lithium production in Zimbabwe dates back to the 1930’s. Portugal and Bolivia are new entrants to the lithium industry, but have large known mineral reserves, making them sixth and seventh respectively in the ranking of top lithium producing nations. The United States trails behind with just 1 percent of global production. Despite having significant known reserves and production facilities, the U.S. has been slow to develop its lithium industry. This ranking of the world’s top nine lithium producers is expected to remain stable for the next few years. With advancing technology and larger demand for this essential resource, some countries may become more prominent producers, however, Chile is expected to remain the leading supplier.