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How the US plans to transform its lithium supply chain
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How the US plans to transform its lithium supply chain

With just 3.6% of global reserves, access to the critical mineral is vital to the country’s sustainable energy plans.

Deborah Abrams Kaplan
Supply Chain Dive, 2022
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Recommendation

Just about everyone uses lithium in daily life. The batteries that power cell phones and EV are lithium, but the United States has paltry lithium reserves. Environmental and other obstacles complicate mining lithium. The threat of America depending on a geo-strategic rival for its supply of an essential material looms large. Writing for Supply Chain Dive, Deborah Abrams Kaplan explains the magnitude of the challenge and what the United States is doing about it. Automotive industry managers, anyone who uses battery-powered devices, and anyone concerned about sustainability or international politics will appreciate Kaplan’s report.

Summary

The United States’ economy, and arguably the planet itself, depend on lithium. This dependence is an Achilles’ heel.

Lithium batteries provide the power for everything from cell phones to electric vehicles and are at the heart of sustainability efforts. Lithium is critical to multiple industries. For example, the popularity of electric vehicles’ (EVs) is increasing the demand for lithium, and all automakers plan to manufacture predominantly EVs by 2030.

The United States holds less than 4% of the world’s lithium reserves. China controls three-quarters of the lithium battery industry. It also controls most of the world’s lithium reserves, although Australia and South America possess...

About the Author

Deborah Abrams Kaplan writes about business, insurance and healthcare for major newspapers and Supply Chain Dive. 

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