Lithium
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.
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.
IEA projects a lithium supply deficit persisting through 2035, and prices more than doubled between January 2025 and April 2026 on energy-storage demand.
Where it's produced
Share of 2025 world mine production (metric tons). Source: USGS MCS 2026.
Withheld by USGS to avoid disclosing company data: United States.
Where the reserves are
Share of known economic reserves (metric tons). World total: 37M t. ≈ 128 years at 2025 output.
Who calls it critical
Membership on each government list. “Strategic” marks a higher tier where the list has one; “group” means included as part of a group such as rare earths or PGMs.
Lithium: key questions
- Where is lithium mined or produced?
- According to USGS 2025 data, the largest producers are Australia (32%), China (21%) and Chile (19%) of world mine production. China accounts for about 21%.
- Is lithium a critical mineral?
- Lithium appears on 10 of the 10 official lists we track (United States, United States (DOE), European Union, United Kingdom, China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia, Canada).
- Is lithium in short supply?
- Our supply status: Structural deficit. IEA projects a lithium supply deficit persisting through 2035, and prices more than doubled between January 2025 and April 2026 on energy-storage demand.
- Why does lithium matter for AI infrastructure?
- 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.
Related minerals
ExplorerGraphite
TightThe anode in nearly every lithium-ion battery, plus electrodes for steelmaking. China mines ~78% and refines over 90% of battery-grade material.
Cobalt
DeficitA battery cathode and superalloy metal. About three-quarters of mined supply comes from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Vanadium
WatchA steel-strengthening alloy and the active material in vanadium redox flow batteries for long-duration storage.