Appalachian Region Could Hold Key to U.S. Battery Supply Chain Independence

The USGS has identified 2.3 million metric tons of recoverable lithium oxide in the Appalachian region — enough to cover more than 300 years of U.S. import needs at current consumption levels.

Appalachian Region Could Hold Key to U.S. Battery Supply Chain Independence. The USGS has identified 2.3 million metric tons of recoverable lithium oxide in the Appalachian region — enough to cover more than 300 years of U.S. import needs at current consumption levels. China currently controls roughly 72% of the global lithium-ion battery market and more than 80% of global battery cell production, giving it enormous leverage over EV and clean energy supply chains. Despite the scale of the find, regulatory timelines, environmental concerns, and financing hurdles mean commercial extraction is likely a decade or more away. The United States Geological Survey has made a potentially game-changing discovery in the Appalachian region. New research suggests that the ancient mountain range may be home to over 300 years' worth of lithium resources,...