Buried treasure: Appalachian Mountains hold enough lithium to make 500 billion smartphones and 130 million electric vehicles, scientists discover

Published 7 July 2026 · tech

How much lithium is hidden beneath the Appalachian Mountains? Where the largest deposits are located Lithium-bearing pegmatite containing spodumene, one of the world's most important

How much lithium is hidden beneath the Appalachian Mountains? Where the largest deposits are located Lithium-bearing pegmatite containing spodumene, one of the world's most important hard-rock sources of lithium. Why lithium has become one of the world's most valuable minerals Why the discovery matters for the US Mining the lithium won't be easy A valuable resource with difficult choices ahead The ancient Appalachian Mountains may be hiding one of the United States' most valuable untapped natural resources. According to new research by the US Geological Survey (USGS), the mountain range contains an estimated 2.5 million tons of lithium, enough to manufacture around 500 billion smartphones, 180 billion laptops or 130 million electric vehicles. The discovery highlights the enormous potential of one of North America's oldest mountain systems at a time when demand for battery materials is soaring. Researchers say the vast reserves could play an important role in strengthening future domestic supplies, although developing them would come with significant technical and environmental challenges.Researchers estimate that the Appalachian Mountains, stretching from Alabama to Maine, contain around 2.5 million tons (2.3 million metric tons) of lithium locked inside coarse-grained igneous rocks known as pegmatites.

According to the USGS, the resource would be enough to replace US lithium imports for approximately 328 years if imports remained at last year's level.The estimate comes from two studies covering the northern and southern Appalachians, marking the first comprehensive USGS assessment of lithium resources across the region. To reach their findings, scientists analysed geological maps, geochemical and geophysical data, records of known mineral occurrences and the area's tectonic history.They also used a global dataset of lithium-bearing pegmatites to model the likely distribution and size of undiscovered deposits. Both studies were published in the journal Natural Resources Research.The northern Appalachian region, which includes parts of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware, is estimated to contain around 990,000 tons of lithium. Several deposits in Maine, including the Plumbago North pegmatite, contain spodumene, the world's primary hard-rock source of lithium because of its high lithium concentration and well-established extraction process.Meanwhile, the southern Appalachians, spanning parts of Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee and Alabama, are believed to hold around 1.57 million tons of lithium.