Massive Lithium Discovery Could Reshape US Battery Supply

The US Geological Survey has identified an estimated 2.3 million metric tons of lithium oxide buried across the Appalachian region, enough to replace more than three centuries of US lithium imports. These deposits could theoretically support the production of 500 billion smartphones or 130 million electric vehicles, significantly reducing US dependence on China’s battery supply chain. Most of the lithium lies in pegmatite formations beneath the Carolinas, Maine, and New Hampshire, but extraction and refining capacity remain major bottlenecks. Despite the scale of the discovery, the US still produces only 0.3 percent of global lithium, meaning infrastructure, permitting, and processing investments will determine whether this resource can reshape American tech manufacturing.

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