To The Moon

The latest data from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) shows that the world's major lithium-producing countries are doing their best to meet the growing demand from energy storage and electric vehicles, and global lithium production increased significantly from 107,000 tons in 2021 to 130,000 tons tons (excluding US production) in 2022. In addition, the world's largest lithium producer in 2022 will be Australia, followed by Chile and China. Below are the top 9 global lithium countries in 2022 and some companies from each to watch: 1. Australia Mining output: 61,000 tons The lithium production of Australia, the world's largest lithium producer, increased from 55,300 tons in 2021 to 61,000 tons last year, and GlobalData predicts that the country's lithium production will increase at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.2% to 116,240 tons in 2026 Ton. In addition, Australia's lithium reserves exceed 3.8 million tons, second only to Chile. It is worth mentioning that most of the country's lithium is exported to China in the form of spodumene. The operator of the Greenbushes lithium assets is Talison Lithium, a joint venture subsidiary of $Tianqi Lithium Corporation(002466)$ and $Albemarle(ALB)$ 2. Chile Mining output: 39,000 tons Chile's lithium production rose from 28,300 tons in 2021 to 39,000 tons in 2022. But unlike Australia's hard rock lithium mines, Chile mainly extracts lithium from salt lakes, of which the Atacama salt lake contributes about half of lithium producer $Sociedad Quimica Y Minera De Chile SA(SQM)$ revenue. In April 2023, Chile announced plans to nationalize the lithium industry, shocking the market. This means that the lithium assets of companies like $Sociedad Quimica Y Minera De Chile SA(SQM)$ and $Albemarle(ALB)$ will eventually be transferred to Chilean state-owned enterprises. 3. China Mining output: 19,000 tons China's lithium production has increased from 14,000 tons in 2021 to 19,000 tons last year. Its lithium production ranks third in the world, but it is the world's largest lithium consumer. China also produces more than three-quarters of the world's lithium-ion batteries and controls most of the world's lithium processing facilities. The vast majority of China's current lithium comes from Australia, but the country is looking to expand its own capacity. 4. Argentina Mining output: 6200 tons Argentina's lithium production in 2022 rose slightly by 230 tons to 6,200 tons, and together with Bolivia and Chile form the so-called lithium triangle. Argentina's Salar del Hombre Muerto region has large lithium brines with reserves sufficient to be mined for at least 75 years. The country currently has 2 producing brines and 13 projects in development, and lithium mining shows no signs of slowing down. 5. Brazil Mining output: 2200 tons Brazil's lithium production, which has soared sharply over the past few years and entered the ranks of lithium-producing countries, was only 400 tons or less in the 2011-2018 period, but rose to 2,200 tons last year from 1,700 tons in 2021. The Brazilian government plans to invest more than $2.1 billion by 2030 to expand lithium production capacity, with companies like $Sigma Lithium Corporation(SGML)$ ) and Norway's AMG Critical Materials expected to add capacity. 6. Zimbabwe Mining output: 800 tons Lithium production in Zimbabwe increased by 90 tons to 800 tons in 2022, while the country has lithium reserves of 220,000 tons. Recently, China's $Sinomine Resource Group Co.,Ltd.(002738)$ acquired the only lithium producer in Zimbabwe and plans to invest US$200 million to increase the annual production capacity of the world's largest lithium mine (11 million tons) by another 2 million tons . In addition, the investment will enable the mine to be able to produce spodumene. In December 2022, Zimbabwe announced a ban on the export of raw lithium (unprocessed lithium ore), but this ban does not include companies that have already opened mines or factories in the country. 7. Portugal Mining output: 600 tons Lithium production in Portugal has plummeted by a third to 600 tonnes from 900 tonnes in 2021, while the European country's lithium comes mostly from the Gonçalo aplite-pegmatite deposit. However, Portugal's lithium reserves are as high as 60,000 tons. 8. Canada Mining output: 500 tons Canada's total lithium production in 2022 is only 500 tons, but its reserves are 930,000 tons, ranking fifth in the world. To establish a lithium supply chain for the North American battery industry, the Canadian government recently invested C$27 million in Alberta-based lithium resource and technology company E3 Lithium $E3 LITHIUM LTD.(EEMMF)$ while providing C$1.074 million to Prairie Lithium. dollars of funds. 9. United States Mining output: confidential To avoid disclosing company figures, the U.S. does not publish lithium production figures. All lithium produced in the U.S. last year came from two places: Salt Lake in Nevada, most likely in the Clayton Valley, home to Albemarle’s Silver Peak mine, and U.S. Magnesium’s salt lake tailings. There are also several large-scale lithium projects in progress in the United States, including the Thacker Pass clay lithium extraction project of $Lithium Americas Corp.(LAC)$ , the hard rock lithium project of $Piedmont Lithium Ltd(PLL)$ $Piedmont Lithium(PLL.AU)$ , And the Arkansas Smackover salt lake lithium extraction project of $Standard Lithium Ltd.(STLHF)$ .