Fact of the Day: The 10 Top Lithium-Producing Countries 2022

 




The European Union has been engaging African governments on lithium and other mineral resources. The reason could be that Portugal is the only European country in the top 10 list of biggest lithium-producing countries for 2022.


In South America, Bolivia, Argentina, and Chile make up the Lithium Triangle, while in Africa, Zimbabwe is in the top 10. The United States declined to reveal production figures.


The full list

Australia - 55,000 metric tonnes (mt)

Australia produced 55,000mt in 2021, up from 39,700mt in 2020. GlobalData forecasts that Australia's lithium production will increase by 24.5% in 2022 as mines expand production to meet demand.


Australia also holds over 3.8 million metric tonnes of identified JORC-compliant lithium reserves, according to the US Geological Survey, which puts it behind Chile. It is worth noting that most of the country's lithium supply is exported to China as spodumene.


Chile - 26,000mt

Chile was another top lithium producer in 2021, with its output increasing from 21,500mt of lithium content in 2020 to 26,000mt in 2021.


China - 14,000mt

China came third for lithium production in 2021, beating Argentina significantly. The Asian country saw its lithium supply grow slightly to 14,000mt last year from 13,300mt in 2020.


Argentina - 6,200mt

Lithium producer Argentina's output ticked up by 300mt from 2020, achieving production of 6,200mt in 2021. Bolivia, Argentina and Chile make up the Lithium Triangle. Argentina's Salar del Hombre Muerto district hosts significant lithium brines, and its reserves are enough for at least 75 years.


Brazil - 1,500mt

Lithium production in Brazil has taken off in the last several years, catapulting it onto the list of the top lithium-producing countries. After achieving an output of 400mt or less from 2011 to 2018, the country's production hit 2,400mt in 2019.


Brazil's government plans to invest more than US$2.1 billion by 2030 into expanding the nation's lithium production capacity. Companies like Sigma Lithium and Norway's AMG Critical Materials are expected to add to the output.


Zimbabwe - 1,200mt

Like Brazil, Zimbabwe has seen its lithium output increase dramatically. The African nation's production has remained flat in the past few years, producing 1,200mt of the battery metal. 


China's Sinomine Resource Group recently acquired the country's only lithium producer, which allegedly holds the world's largest-known lithium deposit at over 11 million metric tonnes. 


The company plans to invest US$200 million into expanding the mine's production capacity by another 2 million metric tonnes per year; the investment will also allow the mine to produce lithium spodumene.


Zimbabwe has the potential to account for 20% of global lithium demand when all known lithium resources are being exploited. As per the US Geological Survey, total reserves in Zimbabwe stand at 220,000mt.


Portugal – 900mt

Portugal produces slightly less lithium than the six countries ahead, with its steady output at 900mt yearly. 2020 saw a drop to 348mt on COVID-19 lockdowns, but its lithium output rebounded to normal levels in 2021.


Despite this lithium-producing country's comparatively low output, Portugal's lithium reserves stand at 60,000mt.


United States - Withheld

In the final place on this top, lithium-producing countries list is the US, which has withheld production numbers to avoid disclosing proprietary company data. 


Its only output last year came from a Nevada-based brine operation, most likely in the Clayton Valley, which hosts Albemarle's Silver Peak mine.


A handful of major lithium projects are underway in the US, including Lithium Americas' Thacker Pass lithium claystone project, Piedmont Lithium's hard-rock lithium project, and Standard Lithium's Arkansas Smackover lithium brine project.

-       https://investingnews.com/

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