From Science Alert: "Vast, Untapped Source of Lithium Found in The US Could Last 300 Years." China most disappointed:
There could be nearly 330 years' worth of lithium hiding beneath the Appalachian Mountains, which stretch like a stony spine across the eastern United States.
New research from the US Geological Survey suggests that the Appalachians may contain around 2.3 million metric tons (2.5 million US tons) of recoverable lithium oxide locked away in pegmatites, the grainy, granite-like rocks that form as water-rich magma cools and crystallizes deep within the Earth.
"This research shows that the Appalachians contain enough lithium to help meet the nation's growing needs – a major contribution to US mineral security, at a time when global lithium demand is rising rapidly," says Ned Mamula, Director of the US Geological Survey (USGS).
Therefore, mapping US mineral resources may help reverse the country's recent reliance on lithium imports.
The stories of how screwed the US is because China controls all the rare earths (and lithium) really annoy me. Such stories promote weakness and hide the main problem. The US in not deficient in any rare earth whatsoever. The US has all the rare earth deposits it will need for the foreseeable future. The problem is that the damnable eco-freaks have blocked the mining and processing of these minerals for decades. They are watermelons - green on the outside, red on the inside. They are serving their communist masters. Use the best technologies available to produce the rare earths in the US - but get it done.
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