Top 10 Countries by Lithium Mine Production, 2025
Lithium mine production (2023): why “mine output” is not the same as battery supply
Lithium is a cornerstone input for modern rechargeable batteries used in electric vehicles (EVs), grid-scale storage, and consumer electronics. Yet the statistic most often quoted—mine production—captures only the first step of a longer chain: mining and concentration of ore or brine, chemical conversion into battery-grade lithium chemicals, and finally cathode and cell manufacturing.
This ranking focuses on mine production measured as tonnes of lithium metal content (Li) reported across multiple product forms (e.g., spodumene concentrates, lithium carbonate from brines). In battery markets, volumes are frequently discussed in lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE), which is a harmonised chemical unit; as a rule of thumb, 1 tonne of Li content ≈ 5.323 tonnes LCE.
Table 1 — Top 10 countries by lithium mine production (Li content, 2023)
| Rank | Country | Mine production (tonnes Li) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Australia | 91,734 |
| 2 | Chile | 45,215 |
| 3 | China | 33,000 |
| 4 | Zimbabwe | 18,699 |
| 5 | Argentina | 10,411 |
| 6 | Brazil | 6,612 |
| 7 | United States | 2,300 |
| 8 | Namibia | 877 |
| 9 | Nigeria | 433 |
| 10 | Portugal | 132 |
Chart A — Top 10 lithium mine production (Li content, 2023)
The chart compares mine production measured as tonnes of lithium metal content (Li). Values are presented as rounded harmonised figures for cross-country comparability.
What the ranking reveals: hard-rock vs brines, and why concentration matters
Two production models dominate lithium supply. Hard-rock mining (especially spodumene) is prominent in Australia and parts of Africa, typically producing concentrates that are then converted into lithium chemicals. Brine-based production (salt-lake brines) is central to South America’s “lithium triangle” (notably Chile and Argentina), where evaporation or direct-extraction pathways yield lithium carbonate or related salts.
China is distinctive because it combines domestic extraction with downstream conversion capacity and a large battery manufacturing ecosystem. In contrast, several high-growth mining jurisdictions can become globally important suppliers without hosting large-scale cell production, which increases the importance of trade logistics, long-term contracts, and chemical refining capacity elsewhere.
Table 2 — Full country list available in primary source (Li content, 2023)
| Rank | Country | Mine production (tonnes Li) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | AustraliaHard-rock (spodumene concentrates) | 91,734 |
| 2 | ChileBrines and lithium chemicals | 45,215 |
| 3 | ChinaMixed sources; integrated downstream capacity | 33,000 |
| 4 | ZimbabweHard-rock (spodumene/petalite/lepidolite) | 18,699 |
| 5 | ArgentinaBrines and lithium chemicals | 10,411 |
| 6 | BrazilHard-rock (spodumene) | 6,612 |
| 7 | United StatesMine output; downstream varies by project | 2,300 |
| 8 | NamibiaHard-rock (spodumene) | 877 |
| 9 | NigeriaHard-rock (spodumene/petalite) | 433 |
| 10 | CanadaHard-rock (spodumene) | 179 |
| 11 | BoliviaLithium chemicals (limited reported output) | 178 |
| 12 | PortugalHard-rock (lepidolite concentrates) | 132 |
The distribution is extremely top-heavy. Australia alone contributes a large share of global mine output, while Chile and China form a second tier, and the remainder declines quickly. In practical terms, this shape tends to amplify exposure to a small set of jurisdictions and infrastructure corridors (ports, conversion plants, and chemical logistics), especially when downstream refining is geographically concentrated.
Chart B — Concentration curve (Pareto): cumulative share of world lithium mine production (2023)
Bars show production by country (tonnes Li). The line shows the cumulative share of world production as countries are added from largest to smallest.
Interpretation: supply security, industrial strategy, and the mine-to-battery gap
Lithium supply discussions often mix two realities. First, mine production is highly concentrated and can shift quickly when a small number of large projects expand or contract. Second, the value-added chain is uneven: mining and chemical refining are not co-located everywhere, and battery cell manufacturing tends to be concentrated in demand centres with strong industrial ecosystems.
Converting the 2023 world total from lithium content into battery-industry units yields roughly ~1.12 million tonnes LCE (using the standard Li→LCE factor). In that framing, Australia’s output corresponds to roughly ~0.49 million tonnes LCE and Chile’s to about ~0.24 million tonnes LCE, illustrating how a small number of producers can dominate global availability when expressed in a single unit.
Policy takeaway: what this ranking implies
- Concentration is structural. With most output coming from a handful of producers, global supply conditions can hinge on operational performance and permitting timelines in a few jurisdictions.
- Mining and refining are distinct bottlenecks. Expanding mine output is not equivalent to expanding battery-grade chemical availability; conversion capacity and quality specifications are separate constraints.
- Trade exposure is inherent. Countries with limited downstream capacity may export concentrates or carbonate and import refined chemicals or cells, even if they are major miners.
- Risk management is multi-layered. The relevant “supply chain map” includes mines, conversion plants, transport corridors, and the governance and infrastructure reliability that keep those links functioning.
Chart C — Mine output vs battery manufacturing proxy (illustrative cross-section)
X-axis: lithium mine production (tonnes Li, 2023). Y-axis: an approximate battery manufacturing capacity signal (GWh, 2023) derived from the IEA’s regional EV battery cell manufacturing capacity figure. This proxy is used to visualise the mismatch between mining locations and major battery manufacturing centres.
Primary data sources and technical notes
- BGS — World Mineral Production 2019–2023 (Lithium table, 2023) Country mine production compiled by the British Geological Survey; the table reports lithium output across multiple product forms with values in tonnes of Li content. https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/539285/1/WMP_2019-2023_COMPLETE.pdf
- IEA — Global EV Outlook 2024 (battery manufacturing capacity figure, 2023) Used as the basis for the battery-capacity proxy (regional installed Li-ion EV battery cell manufacturing capacity). https://iea.blob.core.windows.net/assets/a9e3544b-0b12-4e15-b407-65f5c8ce1b5f/GlobalEVOutlook2024.pdf
- USGS — Mineral Commodity Summaries (Lithium notes and definitions) Background definitions, market framing, and cross-check references commonly used in mineral statistics reporting. https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2025/mcs2025-lithium.pdf
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StatRanker internal context pages (related demand-side indicators)
Optional background reading to connect mine output with manufacturing and adoption indicators.
https://statranker.org/economy/top-10-countries-leading-battery-production-2025/
https://statranker.org/mobility/top-100-countries-by-electric-vehicle-share-in-new-car-sales-2025/
https://statranker.org/category/economy/industry-and-manufacturing/
https://statranker.org/category/economy/foreign-trade/
Download dataset & charts — Copper mine production (2023)
ZIP archive includes the tables (CSV/Excel) and the chart images (PNG) used in this ranking.
