So long, China!
The U.S. Geological Survey just announced that the Appalachians have more lithium in them than your mind can comprehend.
‘This research shows that the Appalachians contain enough lithium to help meet the nation’s growing needs,’ says US Geological Survey Director Ned Mamula in a statement released by the agency.
So how much lithium have they found in them thar hills??
The estimated 2.3 million metric tons of lithium oxide in the Appalachian region would be enough lithium for batteries in:
- 1.6 million grid-scale batteries large enough to stabilize an electric grid
- 130 million electric vehicles
- 180 billion laptops, or a 1,000 year-supply of laptops for the world (at 2025 levels)
- 500 billion cellphones, or 60 cellphones for each person on earth
In other words, enough to make the U.S. energy independent for centuries, or at least until a new technology replaces lithium batteries.
The report suggests that 2.3 metric million tons may be a conservative estimate. It could be as much as 7.4 million metric tons.