Lithium in Appalachians

A new scientific paper published in Natural Resources Research, as reported by Phys.org Earth Sciences, estimates that the southern and northern Appalachians hold significant lithium deposits. The southern region is thought to contain 1.43 million metric tons of lithium oxide, primarily in the Carolinas, while the northern area is estimated to have 900,000 metric tons, mainly in Maine and New Hampshire. The lithium is found in pegmatites, a type of large-grained rock similar to granite. These findings suggest that domestic lithium production could potentially replace imports for a century or more, making the Appalachians an attractive region for mineral exploration and investment.