A vast and previously underappreciated lithium reserve may be sitting beneath the Appalachian Mountains, potentially reducing America’s reliance on foreign sources for a critical battery material, the New York Post reports. According to new findings from the U.S. Geological Survey, the region could contain enough lithium to meet domestic demand for generations. USGS Director Ned Mamula said the research suggests the Appalachians hold sufficient resources to significantly support the nation’s growing energy and technology needs.
The estimate points to roughly 2.5 million metric tons of lithium spread across the East Coast range, with notable concentrations in the Carolinas, Maine, and New Hampshire. The deposit’s projected value is about $64.4 billion. According to The Post, currently, the U.S. imports nearly half of the lithium it consumes, a key component in lithium-ion batteries used in smartphones, electric vehicles, and aerospace applications.
If developed, the resource could dramatically expand supply. USGS projections indicate the deposit could support production of 1.6 million grid-scale batteries—enough to power about 130 million electric vehicles or sustain hundreds of billions of laptops for extended periods. The same supply could also produce roughly 500 billion cellphones, or about 60 devices for every person globally.
At current consumption levels, the reserve could offset more than three centuries of lithium imports, offering what officials describe as a major boost to U.S. mineral security amid surging global demand.
According to The Post, to arrive at these estimates, scientists used “geologic maps, tectonic history, geochemical sampling, geophysical surveys and records of mineral occurrences.” They also ran simulations using a global dataset of lithium-rich pegmatites—coarse-grained igneous rocks known to host valuable mineral deposits—to estimate the number and size of undiscovered reserves.
The analysis identified 18 lithium-rich districts across the Appalachian region. Researchers say the area’s geology helps explain the concentration. According to The Post, “the USGS explained that these pegmatites in the northern Appalachians formed from the same geologic forces that “built the mountains more than 250 million years ago. The high heat and pressure during the mountain-building caused some of the deeper crustal rocks to melt, and some of these magmas were rich in lithium. Because of their immense age, lithium-rich rocks formed during ancient tectonic collisions, when continents slammed together to create the supercontinent Pangea.”
The discovery comes as global lithium production is expected to double by 2029, driven by accelerating demand for electrification and energy storage, according to The Post. Australia currently dominates mining output, supplying nearly half of the world’s lithium, while China leads in refining and consumption.
USGS officials say the Appalachian find could shift that balance. Mamula noted that the United States was once the world’s leading lithium producer and argued the new research highlights an opportunity to regain greater mineral independence.