Appalachian lithium cache enough to power 130 million EVs, USGS says

• 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.