Global Lithium Reserves Landscape: Which Countries Hold the Largest Lithium Reserves in the World?

The global energy transition and electric vehicle boom have put lithium front and center in investor conversations. While many focus on which nations lead in lithium production, understanding the countries with the largest lithium reserves in the world tells a different—and equally important—story about long-term industry potential.

Worldwide lithium reserves reached approximately 30 million metric tons as of 2024, according to the US Geological Survey. These reserves represent contained lithium content and provide insight into which nations possess the geologic foundation to sustain production for decades. Reserve-rich countries may become increasingly influential players in the global battery metal sector as demand continues its upward trajectory.

Benchmark Mineral Intelligence projects that demand for lithium-ion batteries tied to electric vehicles and energy storage systems will surge more than 30 percent year-over-year in 2025. This accelerating demand underscores why understanding the distribution of the planet’s largest lithium reserves in the world remains crucial for investors and industry stakeholders.

Chile: The Reserve Powerhouse

With 9.3 million metric tons, Chile commands the most significant portion of global lithium reserves. The country’s Salar de Atacama region alone houses roughly one-third of the world’s extractable lithium base—a concentration of resources that has shaped decades of production dominance.

Despite holding the world’s most substantial lithium reserve base, Chile ranked as the second-largest producer in 2024, generating 44,000 metric tons. This gap between reserves and actual output reflects regulatory and operational constraints. Mining giants SQM and Albemarle operate the country’s primary lithium extraction facilities within the Salar de Atacama, yet both operate under increasingly stringent state oversight.

In April 2023, Chilean President Gabriel Boric initiated a partial nationalization agenda, positioning state-owned Codelco to acquire controlling stakes in major lithium operations. The administration argued the move would strengthen economic benefits and environmental protections. However, observers from institutions like the Baker Institute note that Chile’s strict mining concession framework has paradoxically limited the nation’s ability to expand its market share relative to its mineral endowment.

Recent bidding rounds for lithium extraction contracts across multiple salt flats reflect ongoing policy evolution. By early 2025, the Chilean government received seven separate bids for operational rights, with a consortium featuring Eramet, Quiborax, and Codelco emerging as a key contender. Officials signaled the announcement of winning bidders for March 2025, with extended timelines to encourage broader participation.

Australia: Reserve Quantity Meets Production Leadership

Australia holds 7 million metric tons of lithium reserves, positioning it second globally—yet this nation achieved the top production ranking in 2024. The paradox reveals how reserve composition and extraction technology drive output variation.

Unlike Chile and Argentina’s brine-based reserves, Australia’s lithium deposits exist predominantly as hard-rock spodumene ore concentrated in Western Australia. This geological difference influences both extraction methods and operational economics. The country’s Greenbushes mine, jointly operated by Talison Lithium (a partnership including Tianqi Lithium and Albemarle), stands as the world’s premier hard-rock lithium producer, operating continuously since 1985.

Australia’s production-to-reserves ratio reflects operational maturity and capital investment levels exceeding those in other regions. However, market volatility has created headwinds. Price declines through 2024 prompted several Australian lithium companies to defer expansion projects and curtail operations pending improved market conditions.

Emerging opportunities extend beyond Western Australia’s traditional mining zones. University of Sydney researchers, collaborating with Geoscience Australia, published comprehensive soil mapping data in 2023 identifying elevated lithium concentrations across Queensland, New South Wales, and Victoria. These findings signal untapped potential that could reshape Australia’s long-term reserve utilization patterns.

Argentina: The Emerging Production Hub

Argentina ranks third in global lithium reserves with 4 million metric tons, yet its significance transcends these numbers. Argentina, Chile, and Bolivia collectively comprise the “Lithium Triangle,” which harbors more than half of the world’s identifiable lithium resources.

As the world’s fourth-largest producer, Argentina generated 18,000 metric tons in 2024, trailing only Australia, Chile, and China. The government’s commitment to industry expansion remained evident through concrete actions. A May 2022 investment pledge allocated up to USD 4.2 billion toward lithium sector development across a three-year window, targeting substantial production increases.

Implementation accelerated in April 2024 when authorities approved Argosy Minerals’ operational expansion at the Rincon salar. The approval enabled the company to scale annual lithium carbonate production from 2,000 to 12,000 metric tons—a six-fold capacity increase. Fastmarkets reported approximately 50 advanced mining projects in development across Argentina, indicating pipeline strength for future growth.

Mining majors recognize Argentina’s competitive positioning. Rio Tinto announced a USD 2.5 billion investment commitment in late 2024, targeting the Rincon salar for dramatic capacity expansion. The project aims to increase production from 3,000 to 60,000 metric tons following a three-year ramp-up beginning in 2028. Such megaprojects underscore how Argentina maintains cost-competitive production even during depressed price environments.

China: Reserves Expansion and Market Control

China officially holds 3 million metric tons in documented lithium reserves, yet this figure underwent significant revision in early 2025. Chinese state media announced a substantial upward reserve adjustment, with national deposits now representing 16.5 percent of global resources—double the previously reported 6 percent share.

The reserve expansion reflects multiple factors. A newly identified 2,800-kilometer lithium belt spanning western China contains proven reserves exceeding 6.5 million tons of ore, with potential resources surpassing 30 million tons. Concurrently, technological advances in extracting lithium from salt lakes and mica deposits expanded the economically viable reserve base. China’s lithium deposit portfolio encompasses brines (the largest component), plus spodumene and lepidolite hard-rock formations.

Production reached 41,000 metric tons in 2024, representing a 5,300 metric ton year-over-year increase. Yet despite this growth trajectory, China imports the majority of its lithium from Australia, reflecting the global scale of domestic battery cell manufacturing and electronics production. The nation commands over 50 percent of worldwide lithium-ion battery production and hosts most global lithium-processing infrastructure.

China’s market influence extends beyond production metrics. In October 2024, the US State Department accused China of engaging in predatory pricing strategies designed to eliminate international competition. “They lower prices until competitors disappear,” explained Jose W. Fernandez, US Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy and the Environment. Whether through reserve expansion or aggressive pricing, China’s role in shaping global lithium market structure continues intensifying.

Global Lithium Reserves: The Broader Picture

Beyond the four largest reserve holders, numerous countries maintain significant lithium endowments:

• United States — 1,800,000 metric tons
• Canada — 1,200,000 metric tons
• Zimbabwe — 480,000 metric tons
• Brazil — 390,000 metric tons
• Portugal — 60,000 metric tons (Europe’s largest reserves)

As lithium demand accelerates, nations holding substantial reserves increasingly translate resource endowments into production capacity. This transition from reserve holder to active producer will reshape competitive dynamics throughout the 2020s.

The Reserve-Production Dynamic

The relationship between reserves and actual output deserves careful consideration. Chile and Argentina command massive reserves yet rank second and fourth in production. Australia, despite holding fewer reserves than Chile or Argentina, leads in output. China operates with officially smaller reserves yet ranks third in production.

These discrepancies highlight how regulatory frameworks, technological capability, capital availability, and market access influence the conversion of geological resources into actual supply. Understanding this dynamic remains essential for investors evaluating long-term industry positioning and supply chain resilience.

The concentration of the world’s largest lithium reserves in the world across just a handful of nations—particularly the Lithium Triangle region—creates both opportunity and geopolitical complexity. As battery demand continues accelerating, competition for reserve control and production capacity will intensify, reshaping global energy infrastructure investments for decades to come.