Sep. 26 at 5:07 PM
$CHNR
The government’s solution to this issue is projects like Lithium Americas’ Thacker Pass. It’s one of the largest lithium deposits in North America. If fully developed, it could boost U.S. production to around 40,000 tons each year. This would place the country among the top four producers, following Australia, Chile, and China.
SEE MORE: Lithium Americas (LAC) Stock Jumps 95% as Trump Seeks Government Equity in Nation’s Largest Lithium Mine
That would mark a tenfold increase in output, but it is still far from enough. Even under the most optimistic forecasts, Thacker Pass would meet just 8% of projected U.S. demand by 2030, and a mere 3% of the 1.2 million tons expected by 2035.
Meanwhile, China has spent more than a decade locking up supply chains, securing lithium assets in Africa, South America, and Australia. It is also building refining infrastructure that now processes nearly 80% of the world’s lithium.
