U.S. Geological Survey Reports 2.3 Million Metric Tons of Recoverable Lithium in Appalachia

The U.S. Geological Survey announced last week that 2.3 million metric tons of previously undiscovered but economically recoverable lithium could be extracted from Appalachia. Officials said the amount is enough to replace 328 years of U.S. imports at last year’s level.

The lithium is found in pegmatites, large-grained rocks similar to granite. Lithium is used in computers, military equipment, vehicles, phones, electric tools, and energy-grid storage. The Geological Survey projects that global lithium production capacity will double by 2029, driven by rising demand.

Top technology companies and governments have made securing a steady supply a priority. The United States had been the world’s dominant producer of lithium until three decades ago but has since been overtaken by China, which now leads in production and refining.

China controls a significant share of global supply. Officials have expressed concern that this dominance could be used in trade disputes or other international issues.

The discovery could allow the United States to increase domestic production. Officials stated that developing these resources within the country could support national security and create jobs in Maine, New Hampshire, and the Carolinas, where the lithium would be mined. One official said that when resources are available domestically, they should be extracted and processed in the United States.

Extracting, refining, and producing lithium falls under the National Environmental Policy Act. The law often results in years of delay for permitting new mines and refineries. The Department of the Interior has launched an effort to reform the permitting process, which one official described as having been used to delay energy, infrastructure, and conservation projects.

Another official said the act was intended as a procedural law to inform decisions rather than a regulatory process that delays them for years. The recent discovery may serve as an early test of the reformed process. The United States has the potential to become a leading lithium producer again if regulatory hurdles are addressed.