{
 "publisher": "Critical-Minerals.si",
 "homepage": "https://critical-minerals.si",
 "terms": "https://critical-minerals.si/data#terms",
 "attribution": "Critical-Minerals.si (https://critical-minerals.si)",
 "generated": "2026-10-09",
 "mineral": {
  "id": "lithium",
  "name": "Lithium",
  "symbol": "Li",
  "category": "Battery & storage",
  "supply_status": "deficit",
  "supply_status_label": "Structural deficit",
  "supply_status_note": "IEA projects a lithium supply deficit persisting through 2035, and prices more than doubled between January 2025 and April 2026 on energy-storage demand.",
  "ai_relevance": 2,
  "ai_layers": [
   "Backup & storage",
   "Power & grid"
  ],
  "ai_role": "Lithium-ion UPS and battery energy storage systems (BESS) keep AI campuses running through outages and let operators shave peak grid demand. Data centers are increasingly paired with on-site storage to secure interconnection.",
  "supply_risk_index": 60,
  "lists_count": 10,
  "lists_strategic_count": 3,
  "top_producer": "Australia",
  "top_producer_share_2025": 0.317,
  "china_share_2025": 0.214,
  "output_growth_2024_25": 0.306,
  "us_net_import_reliance": ">50",
  "us_import_sources": "Chile, Argentina",
  "export_controls": [
   "China: Export licensing (2025)",
   "Zimbabwe: Lithium ore export ban (2022)",
   "Namibia: Ore & concentrate export ban (2023)"
  ],
  "production_basis": "mine production",
  "production_unit": "metric tons",
  "world_production_2024": 222000,
  "world_production_2025": 290000,
  "world_reserves": 37000000,
  "chain_coverage": "full",
  "most_concentrated_step": "Cathode material",
  "most_concentrated_step_share": 0.85,
  "most_concentrated_step_basis": "China",
  "processing_gap_pts": 64,
  "summary": "The lightest metal and the heart of every lithium-ion battery — from phones and EVs to the grid-scale storage now being bolted onto data centers.",
  "url": "https://critical-minerals.si/minerals/lithium",
  "json": "https://critical-minerals.si/data/minerals/lithium.json",
  "markdown": "https://critical-minerals.si/minerals/lithium.md"
 },
 "lists": {
  "us": "critical",
  "us_doe": "critical",
  "eu": "strategic",
  "uk": "critical",
  "cn": "strategic",
  "jp": "critical",
  "kr": "strategic",
  "in": "critical",
  "au": "critical",
  "ca": "critical"
 },
 "production": {
  "series": "lithium",
  "basis": "mine production",
  "unit": "metric tons",
  "runit": "metric tons",
  "world": {
   "p2024": 222000,
   "p2025": 290000,
   "r": 37000000,
   "rraw": "37,000,000"
  },
  "rows": [
   {
    "country": "Australia",
    "iso": "036",
    "p2025": 92000,
    "p2024": 82700,
    "r": 8400000,
    "share": 0.31724137931034485,
    "rshare": 0.22702702702702704,
    "withheld": false
   },
   {
    "country": "China",
    "iso": "156",
    "p2025": 62000,
    "p2024": 41400,
    "r": 4600000,
    "share": 0.21379310344827587,
    "rshare": 0.12432432432432433,
    "withheld": false
   },
   {
    "country": "Chile",
    "iso": "152",
    "p2025": 56000,
    "p2024": 48900,
    "r": 9200000,
    "share": 0.19310344827586207,
    "rshare": 0.24864864864864866,
    "withheld": false
   },
   {
    "country": "Zimbabwe",
    "iso": "716",
    "p2025": 28000,
    "p2024": 20000,
    "r": 500000,
    "share": 0.09655172413793103,
    "rshare": 0.013513513513513514,
    "withheld": false
   },
   {
    "country": "Argentina",
    "iso": "032",
    "p2025": 23000,
    "p2024": 13800,
    "r": 4400000,
    "share": 0.07931034482758621,
    "rshare": 0.11891891891891893,
    "withheld": false
   },
   {
    "country": "Brazil",
    "iso": "076",
    "p2025": 12000,
    "p2024": 10200,
    "r": 540000,
    "share": 0.041379310344827586,
    "rshare": 0.014594594594594595,
    "withheld": false
   },
   {
    "country": "Mali",
    "iso": "466",
    "p2025": 9400,
    "p2024": 770,
    "r": 370000,
    "share": 0.032413793103448274,
    "rshare": 0.01,
    "withheld": false
   },
   {
    "country": "Canada",
    "iso": "124",
    "p2025": 5600,
    "p2024": 4820,
    "r": 1600000,
    "share": 0.019310344827586208,
    "rshare": 0.043243243243243246,
    "withheld": false
   },
   {
    "country": "Portugal",
    "iso": "620",
    "p2025": 380,
    "p2024": 380,
    "r": 60000,
    "share": 0.001310344827586207,
    "rshare": 0.0016216216216216215,
    "withheld": false
   },
   {
    "country": "United States",
    "iso": "840",
    "p2025": null,
    "p2024": null,
    "r": 4400000,
    "share": null,
    "rshare": 0.11891891891891893,
    "withheld": true
   }
  ],
  "group": null
 },
 "supply_chain": {
  "end": "Battery cells",
  "steps": [
   {
    "k": "mine",
    "label": "Mining",
    "what": "Spodumene ore and brine",
    "st": "data",
    "top": [
     [
      "Australia",
      0.317
     ],
     [
      "China",
      0.214
     ],
     [
      "Chile",
      0.193
     ]
    ],
    "cn": 0.214,
    "year": 2025,
    "src": "usgs_mcs",
    "conf": "official",
    "note": "IEA: over 65% of new African lithium mining capacity is owned by companies headquartered in China."
   },
   {
    "k": "refine",
    "label": "Refining",
    "what": "Lithium chemicals (carbonate and hydroxide)",
    "st": "data",
    "cn": 0.75,
    "year": 2025,
    "src": "iea_gcmo26",
    "conf": "report",
    "note": "Up from 70% in 2024.",
    "page": 141
   },
   {
    "k": "metal",
    "label": "Cathode material",
    "what": "Cathode active material (all chemistries)",
    "st": "data",
    "cn": 0.85,
    "q": "~",
    "year": 2025,
    "src": "iea_gevo26",
    "conf": "report",
    "note": "China produced 98% of LFP cathode material and about two-thirds of nickel-based cathode material in 2025 (IEA GCMO 2026, p. 72)."
   },
   {
    "k": "product",
    "label": "Battery cells",
    "what": "Lithium-ion battery cells",
    "st": "data",
    "cn": 0.8,
    "q": "~",
    "year": 2025,
    "src": "iea_gcmo26",
    "conf": "report",
    "note": "IEA's Global EV Outlook 2026 puts China at over 80% of battery cell production in 2025.",
    "page": 72
   }
  ],
  "metric": "china",
  "tier": "full",
  "choke": {
   "k": "metal",
   "label": "Cathode material",
   "share": 0.85,
   "basis": "China"
  },
  "gap": {
   "pts": 64,
   "from": 21,
   "to": 85,
   "at": "Cathode material"
  }
 },
 "companies": [
  {
   "ticker": "601899.SS",
   "name": "Zijin Mining",
   "stage": "producer",
   "size_tier": "major",
   "hq_country": "CN",
   "us_operations": null
  },
  {
   "ticker": "REMX",
   "name": "VanEck Rare Earth & Strategic Metals ETF",
   "stage": "etf",
   "size_tier": "fund",
   "hq_country": "US",
   "us_operations": null
  },
  {
   "ticker": "ALB",
   "name": "Albemarle",
   "stage": "producer",
   "size_tier": "major",
   "hq_country": "US",
   "us_operations": "Silver Peak lithium brine (NV) and Kings Mountain (NC)"
  },
  {
   "ticker": "SQM",
   "name": "SQM",
   "stage": "producer",
   "size_tier": "major",
   "hq_country": "CL",
   "us_operations": null
  },
  {
   "ticker": "PLS.AX",
   "name": "PLS Group (Pilbara Minerals)",
   "stage": "producer",
   "size_tier": "mid-tier",
   "hq_country": "AU",
   "us_operations": null
  },
  {
   "ticker": "LAC",
   "name": "Lithium Americas",
   "stage": "developer",
   "size_tier": "junior",
   "hq_country": "CA",
   "us_operations": "Thacker Pass lithium mine, Nevada (under construction)"
  },
  {
   "ticker": "002460.SZ",
   "name": "Ganfeng Lithium",
   "stage": "producer",
   "size_tier": "major",
   "hq_country": "CN",
   "us_operations": null
  },
  {
   "ticker": "002466.SZ",
   "name": "Tianqi Lithium",
   "stage": "producer",
   "size_tier": "major",
   "hq_country": "CN",
   "us_operations": null
  },
  {
   "ticker": "LIT",
   "name": "Global X Lithium & Battery Tech ETF",
   "stage": "etf",
   "size_tier": "fund",
   "hq_country": "US",
   "us_operations": null
  },
  {
   "ticker": "LITP",
   "name": "Sprott Lithium Miners ETF",
   "stage": "etf",
   "size_tier": "fund",
   "hq_country": "US",
   "us_operations": null
  },
  {
   "ticker": "RIO",
   "name": "Rio Tinto",
   "stage": "major",
   "size_tier": "major",
   "hq_country": "GB",
   "us_operations": "Kennecott copper (UT), Boron (CA) and 55% of Resolution Copper (AZ)"
  },
  {
   "ticker": "SETM",
   "name": "Sprott Critical Materials ETF",
   "stage": "etf",
   "size_tier": "fund",
   "hq_country": "US",
   "us_operations": null
  },
  {
   "ticker": "IONR",
   "name": "ioneer",
   "stage": "developer",
   "size_tier": "junior",
   "hq_country": "AU",
   "us_operations": "Rhyolite Ridge lithium-boron project, Nevada (permitted, pre-construction)"
  },
  {
   "ticker": "SLI",
   "name": "Standard Lithium",
   "stage": "developer",
   "size_tier": "junior",
   "hq_country": "CA",
   "us_operations": "South West Arkansas lithium brine project (feasibility stage)"
  },
  {
   "ticker": "ABAT",
   "name": "American Battery Technology",
   "stage": "processor",
   "size_tier": "junior",
   "hq_country": "US",
   "us_operations": "Battery recycling plant near Reno and Tonopah Flats lithium project, Nevada"
  }
 ],
 "sources": [
  {
   "label": "IEA Global Critical Minerals Outlook 2026 — Executive summary",
   "url": "https://www.iea.org/reports/global-critical-minerals-outlook-2026/executive-summary"
  },
  {
   "label": "IEA Global Critical Minerals Outlook 2026 — Outlook",
   "url": "https://www.iea.org/reports/global-critical-minerals-outlook-2026/outlook"
  }
 ]
}