Appalachia holds 2.3 million metric tons of undiscovered lithium—enough to power 130 million EVs, according to new USGS research.
This reserve could replace 328 years of US lithium imports at current consumption levels, significantly reducing American dependence on foreign supply.
The US currently imports over half its lithium; only Albemarle operates domestically while China dominates global processing capacity.
Global lithium production capacity is expected to double by 2029 as EV and battery demand accelerates worldwide.