Chile has the world’s largest known reserves of lithium.
Chile’s lithium reserves are concentrated mainly in brine deposits beneath the Atacama Salt Flat in the country’s north. The Atacama Desert is one of the driest places on Earth, allowing concentrated mineral brines to be extracted and processed. Chile has been a major lithium producer for decades.
Lithium is a lightweight metal used in rechargeable batteries for electric vehicles, mobile devices, and energy-storage systems. It is also used in ceramics, glass, lubricants, and some medicines. The global importance of lithium has increased as electric transport and renewable-energy storage have expanded.
A country’s reserves are not the same as its total resources or annual production. Australia has often been the leading producer by yearly output, largely from hard-rock mines. Argentina and Bolivia also possess major lithium resources in the Andean “lithium triangle.” Chile’s ranking refers specifically to economically identified reserves, while production rankings can change from year to year.