The US Geological Survey (USGS) has announced the discovery of an estimated 2.5 million tons of lithium buried within the Appalachian Mountains, a find that could supply the United States with the critical mineral for centuries. Major concentrations are believed to lie beneath the Carolinas and northern New England.
Officials stated that this projected supply could replace roughly 328 years of US lithium imports at current levels, marking a significant step toward strengthening America's mineral independence. The estimated value of the lithium is around $64.4 billion.
Scientists estimate that the lithium could power about 1.6 million grid-scale batteries or as many as 130 million electric vehicles. Additionally, it could supply roughly 180 billion laptops—enough for a thousand years of global use—and up to 500 billion cellphones, or about 60 devices for every person on Earth.
USGS Director Ned Mamula said in a statement: 'This research shows that the Appalachians contain enough lithium to help meet the nation's growing needs, a major contribution to US mineral security at a time when global lithium demand is rising rapidly.'
The Appalachian Mountains, formed roughly 480 million years ago, are among the oldest mountain ranges in the world and the oldest in North America. Due to their immense age, lithium-rich rocks formed during ancient tectonic collisions when continents slammed together to create the supercontinent Pangea, generating intense heat and pressure that produced lithium-bearing pegmatites deep within the crust.
This is a developing story. More updates to come.
