Source link : https://las-vegas-news.com/usgs-maps-65-billion-lithium-reserve-beneath-appalachians-enough-to-power-u-s-for-328-years/
Details of the Monumental Assessment (Image Credits: Unsplash)
Beneath the weathered peaks of the Appalachian Mountains, a geological treasure long suspected by experts has taken clearer shape. The U.S. Geological Survey revealed on April 28 that the region harbors an estimated 2.3 million metric tons of undiscovered, economically recoverable lithium.[1] This vast cache, valued at around $65 billion, could replace 328 years of U.S. lithium imports based on 2025 consumption levels.[2] The findings underscore a potential turning point for American mineral independence at a moment of surging global demand.
Details of the Monumental Assessment
Researchers pinpointed concentrations in both northern and southern segments of the Appalachians. The northern area, primarily in Maine and New Hampshire, holds about 900,000 metric tons, while the southern portion centered in the Carolinas contains roughly 1.43 million metric tons of lithium oxide.[1] These estimates reflect a 50% confidence level, meaning there is an equal chance of more or less lithium present, with a 90% probability of at least 90,000 metric tons in the north alone and a 10% chance of up to 7.4 million metric tons.
The lithium resides in pegmatites, coarse-grained igneous rocks similar to granite, formed deep within the Earth’s crust. USGS scientists drew on geologic maps, geochemical data, geophysical surveys, and historical mining records to model these deposits. Their work builds on a global dataset of lithium…
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Author : nvm_admin
Publish date : 2026-04-29 18:43:00
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