US Has Lithium Resources, But Development Hobbled During Obama 3 Terms

stock here: I am expected China and maybe Russia too, to curtail Lithium and Lithium processing equipment to the USA. Some lithium stocks could see a major boost at that time.

Yes — the U.S. has substantial lithium resources, though historically it has relied heavily on imports, especially from Chile, Argentina, Australia, and China. But that is rapidly changing due to strategic and economic pressure.

🇺🇸 U.S. Lithium Overview
🔍 Current U.S. Lithium Production

Nevada is the only state currently producing lithium at scale:

    Silver Peak (operated by Albemarle) near Tonopah, NV: Extracts lithium from brine.

🏗️ Major U.S. Lithium Projects in Development
Location Company Type Status
Thacker Pass, NV Lithium Americas (LAC) Clay deposit Construction underway (largest in U.S.)
Clayton Valley, NV Century Lithium (LCE) Brine/clay Pilot plant running
Kings Mountain, NC Piedmont Lithium (PLL) Hard rock Restarting former mine
Arkansas Smackover Basin Standard Lithium (SLI) Brine Pilot stage; Direct Lithium Extraction
Salton Sea, CA Controlled Thermal Resources (CTR) Geothermal brine Early production (linked to Hell’s Kitchen project)
🧪 Types of U.S. Lithium Resources
Type Region Notes
Clay Nevada (Thacker Pass) Largest known lithium resource in the U.S.
Brine NV, CA, AR (Salton Sea, Smackover) Requires evaporation or DLE technology
Hard Rock NC, TN, ME More common globally (e.g., Australia)
🔋 Strategic Significance

Thacker Pass (NV) alone could supply lithium for up to 1 million EVs per year once fully operational.

U.S. holds ~8% of known global lithium resources but has been slow to develop due to:

    Permitting delays

    Environmental concerns (especially for open-pit mining and water use)

    Lack of domestic refining capacity

🛠️ Government & Industrial Push

DOE Grants: Over $3 billion allocated to domestic battery material supply chains under the Infrastructure Act.

DoD Interest: Lithium classified as a critical defense mineral.

Automaker Investment: Tesla, GM, and Ford are investing directly into U.S.-based lithium projects.