Lithium is the metal at the center of the battery boom. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) tracks where it is mined, how it is used and what it costs in its annual Mineral Commodity Summaries. The 2026 edition, which covers 2025, shows a market that grew quickly in volume while prices stayed low for much of the year.
Where is lithium mined?
The USGS estimates world mine production of lithium, measured in metric tons of lithium content, at about 290,000 tons in 2025. The figure excludes the United States, where production data were withheld.
- Australia: 92,000 tons
- China: 62,000 tons
- Chile: 56,000 tons
- Zimbabwe: 28,000 tons
- Argentina: 23,000 tons
- Brazil: 12,000 tons
- Mali: 9,400 tons
- Canada: 5,600 tons
- Portugal: 380 tons
By our own arithmetic, Australia, China and Chile together account for about 210,000 of the 290,000 tons, or roughly 72 percent, and Australia alone for about 32 percent. Our country entries on Australia, China and Chile give background on the three largest producers.
What is lithium used for?
Batteries account for an estimated 88 percent of global lithium use. Ceramics and glass take 4 percent, lubricating greases 2 percent, and air treatment, continuous casting mold flux powders and medical uses 1 percent each. The remaining 3 percent is other uses. That concentration in batteries explains why lithium follows the growth of the electric vehicle market, which our article on the IEA Global EV Outlook 2026 covers.
How much did production and consumption grow?
The USGS says production outside the United States rose about 31 percent, from 222,000 tons in 2024 to about 290,000 tons in 2025. Estimated global consumption rose about 20 percent, from 220,000 tons to 263,000 tons. The two series are not directly comparable, since production excludes the United States and consumption is an estimate, so the gap between them should not be read as a surplus.
What happened to prices?
The U.S. annual average price for lithium carbonate under fixed contracts was about $9,000 per ton in 2025, down 31 percent from 2024. Prices stayed low in the first half of the year on concerns about oversupply, then rose in the second half on electric vehicle growth in China and Europe and on demand for battery energy storage.
- Lithium carbonate, China spot: about $9,300 per ton in January, rising to about $10,300 in November
- Lithium hydroxide, China spot: about $10,300 per ton in January, rising to about $11,200 in November
- Spodumene (6 percent lithium oxide), Australia: about $800 per ton in January, rising to about $970 in November
What else shaped the year?
Namibia was temporarily removed from production because of legal uncertainties. Capacity expansions occurred in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Mali, the United States and Zimbabwe, though some producers cut output or postponed projects because of low prices. Battery recycling plant construction continued, and companies pursued strategic alliances to secure supply. Zimbabwe, with 28,000 tons, produced more than Argentina, a ranking that shows how production has spread beyond the early leaders.
How dependent is the United States on imports?
The USGS estimates that net import reliance was above 50 percent of apparent consumption in 2023, 2024 and 2025, with 2025 an estimate. Imports were estimated at 3,800 tons in 2025 and exports at 2,000 tons.
How large are the resources?
The USGS estimates measured and indicated lithium resources at about 150 million tons worldwide, including 30 million tons in the United States and 120 million tons elsewhere. The largest non-U.S. holders are Argentina (28 million tons), Bolivia (23 million), Chile (13 million), Australia (10 million), China (10 million), Germany (8.9 million) and Canada (8.1 million). A resource is not the same as a reserve: resources are deposits that may someday be extracted, while reserves are the part that can be mined economically now. We do not quote reserve figures because the table we read contained inconsistent entries.
Can lithium be substituted?
The USGS lists calcium, magnesium, mercury and zinc as possible anode materials in primary batteries, calcium and aluminum soaps in greases, and sodic and potassic fluxes in ceramics and glass. It does not list a substitute for the main battery use, so the substitutes mentioned apply to smaller markets.
How does lithium compare with rare earths?
Both are materials in clean energy technologies, but their supply chains differ. Our article on rare earth elements covers a different set of minerals, also based on the USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries.
Key figures at a glance
- World mine production, 2025: about 290,000 tons (excluding the U.S.)
- Battery share of use: 88 percent
- U.S. average lithium carbonate price, 2025: about $9,000 per ton, down 31 percent
- Estimated consumption, 2025: 263,000 tons, up about 20 percent
- Measured and indicated resources: about 150 million tons
Glossary: terms used here
- Lithium content: the weight of lithium metal in a product, as opposed to the weight of the ore or compound
- Spodumene: a lithium-bearing mineral mined in hard rock deposits, quoted by its lithium oxide grade
- Lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide: the chemical compounds that battery makers buy
- Mine production: the amount extracted in a year, before processing
- Apparent consumption: production plus imports minus exports
- Net import reliance: the share of apparent consumption met by net imports
These definitions are general ones and are not quoted from the USGS document.
How to read the lithium numbers
Our own reading is that the 2025 story is a split between volume and price. Volumes and consumption climbed by double-digit percentages, while the annual average price fell by almost a third, and the recovery in the second half of the year left prices well below the level needed to avoid project delays for some producers. The USGS describes the delays but does not estimate the price at which they would stop.
Frequently asked questions
Which country produces the most lithium?
Australia, with 92,000 tons in 2025, according to the USGS.
What is lithium mostly used for?
Batteries, about 88 percent of use.
Did lithium prices rise in 2025?
The annual average fell 31 percent, but spot prices rose in the second half of the year.