The Appalachian region holds an estimated 2.3 million metric tons of undiscovered, economically recoverable lithium, enough to replace 328 years of U.S. imports at last year's level, according to a U.S. Geological Survey assessment released April 28 that could reshape how Washington plans for domestic battery-metal supply.
The figure splits into two zones.
The southern Appalachians, concentrated in the Carolinas, hold about 1.43 million metric tons of lithium oxide.
The northern Appalachians, concentrated in Maine and New Hampshire, hold about 900,000 metric tons.
A peer-reviewed paper on the northern assessment appeared in Natural Resources Research. USGS will release details about the southern assessment, from Maryland to Alabama, at a later date.
Lithium is found in pegmatites, coarse-grained igneous rocks akin to granite, formed during the tectonic processes that merged Africa, Europe, and North America into the supercontinent Pangea over 250 million years ago.
USGS scientists estimated lithium reserves by using geologic maps, tectonic history, geochemical samples, geophysical surveys, mineral records, and probabilistic simulations on global lithium pegmatite data.
The 2.3 million metric ton figure represents a 50% confidence level, meaning the resource could be larger or smaller, and individual deposits will require further exploration to confirm.
USGS Director Ned Mamula said the assessment shows the Appalachians contain enough lithium "to help meet the nation's growing needs," calling it a major contribution to U.S. mineral security as global demand climbs.
The agency said the tonnage could supply roughly 1.6 million grid-scale batteries or batteries for about 130 million electric vehicles, and projected lithium demand will grow more than 48-fold by 2040, driven by EV production and energy storage.
Lithium is essential for rechargeable batteries used in electric vehicles, electronics, and large-scale power storage to stabilize grids and support renewable energy.
The U.S. relied on imports for more than half its lithium supply in 2025 and operates one full-scale producing mine, Albemarle's Silver Peak operation in Nevada, with global production led by Australia and Chile and refining dominated by China.
However, identifying a resource is not the same as mining it.
A regional assessment is not a reserve statement, and U.S. lithium projects typically take a decade or more to develop. As of August 2025, only three were officially under construction, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on March 20, 2025, directing federal agencies to fast-track mineral permitting, prioritize mining on federal lands, and deploy federal financing tools, including Defense Production Act authorities, to expand domestic supply.
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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