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Australia is a major player in the global lithium market, with the country's reserves of the mineral placing it among the top four countries worldwide. Australian lithium reserves are estimated at 7 million metric tons, with the majority of these reserves located in Western Australia. The country is the largest producer of lithium by weight, with most of its production coming from hard-rock spodumene mines, in contrast to other major producers like Chile, Argentina, and China, which primarily extract lithium from salt lakes. The Mt Cattlin mine in Western Australia, for example, contains an estimated 8.2 million tonnes of lithium reserves, while the Wodgina lithium mine in the same state has an annual production capacity of 750,000 tonnes. Australia's lithium industry is expected to play a significant role in meeting the growing global demand for lithium-based power, particularly with the rise of the electric vehicle market.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Australia's position in global lithium reserves | Second to Chile |
| Australia's position in global lithium production | First |
| Australia's share of global lithium supply | 43% in 2022; 53% in 2023 |
| Australia's share of global lithium export | 47% |
| Australia's lithium reserves | 7 million metric tons |
| Australia's lithium production in 2021 | 40% of global production |
| Australia's projected lithium production in 2030 | 1.2 million tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent |
| Location of lithium reserves in Australia | Predominantly in Western Australia; also in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, and the Northern Territory |
| Types of lithium deposits in Australia | Hard-rock spodumene |
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What You'll Learn
- Australia's lithium reserves are among the highest grades globally
- Australia is the world's largest producer of lithium
- Most Australian lithium comes from Western Australia
- The Greenbushes mine in Western Australia is the country's biggest lithium mine
- Australia's lithium reserves are in the form of hard-rock spodumene deposits
Australia's lithium reserves are among the highest grades globally
Australia has one of the world's biggest lithium reserves, and is the biggest producer of lithium by weight. In 2022, Australia accounted for 43% of global lithium extraction, and 53% in 2023. The country is also the largest producer of spodumene, the base material for lithium hydroxide and lithium carbonate.
Australia's lithium reserves are predominantly found in Western Australia, with the Greenbushes mine in the southwest being the biggest lithium mine in the country. The Mt Cattlin mine, also in Western Australia, contains an estimated 8.2 million tonnes of lithium reserves. The Finniss Lithium Project in the Northern Territory is the only Australian lithium mine outside of Western Australia.
Australia's lithium reserves are extracted through hard-rock mining, in contrast to other major producers like Argentina, Chile and China, which mainly produce lithium from salt lakes. Australia's reserves are in the form of hard-rock spodumene deposits, and the country is home to the world's largest hard-rock lithium mine, the Greenbushes mine.
The Mount Marion mine in Western Australia contains the world's second-biggest high-grade lithium mineral resources, with an estimated 71 million tonnes of spodumene. The mine is co-owned by Mineral Resources and Ganfeng Lithium.
The global demand for lithium-based power offers significant opportunities for Australia's resources sector, with the growth of the electric vehicle market driving demand for lithium-based batteries. Australia's lithium reserves and production capabilities position the country to take advantage of this increasing demand.
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Australia is the world's largest producer of lithium
Australia has one of the world's biggest lithium reserves, and is the largest producer of lithium by weight. In 2023, 53% of the world's annual lithium supply was mined in Australia, and 96% of it was exported to China for processing. In 2022, Australia accounted for 43% of global lithium extraction, with almost all of it being exported to China.
Most Australian lithium is produced from hard-rock spodumene deposits, which can be refined into either lithium hydroxide or lithium carbonate. The Greenbushes mine in the southwest of Western Australia is the country's oldest and biggest lithium mine. It is also the world's largest hard-rock lithium mine and the largest operational lithium mine globally. In the year ending in July 2022, Greenbushes produced 1.03 million tonnes of spodumene concentrate. The world's second-biggest high-grade lithium mineral resources are found at the Mount Marion mine in Western Australia, with an estimated 71 million tonnes of spodumene.
Other major Australian lithium mines include the Wodgina lithium mine, the Mt Cattlin mine, and the Pilgangoora project. The Finniss Lithium Project in the Northern Territory is the only Australian lithium mine outside of Western Australia. It opened in 2022 and is estimated to contain 31 million tonnes of lithium-containing minerals.
The global demand for lithium-based power is expected to rise rapidly with the growth of the electric vehicle (EV) market. Australia is already the world's largest producer of spodumene, the base material for lithium hydroxide and lithium carbonate. This positions the country to take full advantage of the increasing demand for lithium-based power.
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Most Australian lithium comes from Western Australia
Australia has one of the world's biggest lithium reserves and is the biggest producer of lithium by weight. Most Australian lithium comes from Western Australia, with the majority produced from hard-rock spodumene. The world's largest hard-rock lithium mine, the Greenbushes mine, is located in Western Australia and contributed 40% of the lithium mined in Australia in 2021. Other major mines in the region include the Wodgina lithium mine, the Mt Cattlin mine, and the Mount Marion mine.
Western Australia's lithium deposits are largely found within the Pilbara and Yilgarn cratons. The Yilgarn Craton, in particular, is considered a significant region for further exploration due to the small dimensions of host pegmatites and poor exposure, indicating the potential for additional discoveries. The Australian Government has recognized the importance of lithium in Western Australia by establishing a modern national lithium research centre at Curtin University in Perth, aiming to establish the region as a hub for battery-making and lithium battery research.
The Finniss Lithium Project in the Northern Territory is the only Australian lithium mine outside of Western Australia. It commenced operations in 2022 and is owned by Core Lithium. The mine is expected to contain 31 million tonnes of lithium-containing minerals, with a lithium oxide-equivalent content of 1.3%.
Lithium mining in Australia has environmental implications, as the process involves the removal of plants, soil, and wildlife at the mine site. Additionally, Australian lithium extraction has a higher carbon footprint than in other countries due to the use of carbon-intensive power sources and the subsequent shipping of lithium to China for further processing.
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The Greenbushes mine in Western Australia is the country's biggest lithium mine
Australia has one of the world's biggest lithium reserves, and is the biggest producer of lithium by weight. Most of its production comes from mines in Western Australia, where the Greenbushes mine is located.
The Greenbushes mine in the southwest of Western Australia is the country's oldest and biggest lithium mine. It is an open-pit lithium mining operation located south of the town of Greenbushes. The mine was opened in 1984 by Greenbushes Tin, which had discovered major lithium deposits at the site four years earlier while exploring for tantalum. The mine was purchased by Talison Minerals in 2007. Talison Lithium is a joint venture between China's Tianqi Lithium and the US chemicals firm Albemarle.
The Greenbushes mine is the world's largest hard-rock lithium mine in terms of reserves, resources, production, and capacity. It produces approximately 1.95 million tonnes (4.3 billion pounds) of lithium spodumene annually. The mine is 250 kilometres (160 miles) south of Perth and 90 kilometres (56 miles) southeast of the port of Bunbury.
The Greenbushes deposit contains the highest-grade quality lithium spodumene in the world. It is estimated to have resources of 8.7 million tonnes (19 billion pounds) LCE and reserves of 6.8 million tonnes (15 billion pounds) LCE. The mine sets a chemical-grade specifications benchmark of 6.0% Li 2O minimum and 0.8% Fe 2O 3 maximum.
The mine is undergoing expansion, along with the construction of two nearby lithium processing facilities. The total capacity of the facilities is reported to be 48,000 tonnes (110 million pounds) per annum.
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Australia's lithium reserves are in the form of hard-rock spodumene deposits
Australia has one of the biggest reserves of lithium globally, and is the biggest producer of lithium by weight. Most of its lithium production comes from mines in Western Australia, with the highest lithium concentrations found near the Mount Marion deposit.
Australia's lithium reserves are predominantly in the form of hard-rock spodumene deposits. Spodumene is a lithium-bearing mineral found inside hard-rock pegmatite ores. The process of extracting lithium from hard-rock spodumene is more capital-intensive than extracting it from lithium brines, which is the primary method used by other leading lithium-producing countries like Argentina, Chile, and China. However, refining spodumene into lithium hydroxide is less complex and cheaper than refining lithium carbonate from spodumene, giving Australia a potential cost advantage in the global market.
The Greenbushes mine in Western Australia is the world's largest and highest-grade hard-rock lithium mine. It produced 1.03 million tonnes (2.26 billion pounds) of spodumene concentrate in the year leading up to July 2022. The Mount Marion mine, also in Western Australia, contains the world's second-biggest high-grade lithium mineral resources, with an estimated 71 million tonnes (160 billion pounds) of spodumene.
The Mt Cattlin mine near Ravensthorpe, Western Australia, is another significant source of spodumene, producing 192,000 dry tonnes (420 million pounds) in 2019. The Wodgina lithium mine in Western Australia has an annual production capacity of 750,000 tonnes (1.7 billion pounds) of spodumene. The Finniss Lithium Project in the Northern Territory is the only Australian lithium mine outside of Western Australia.
The demand for lithium in Australia and globally is increasing, driven by its applications in batteries, phones, laptops, and electric vehicles. Australia's hard-rock spodumene deposits are crucial in meeting the world's growing lithium needs.
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Frequently asked questions
Australia has some of the biggest lithium reserves in the world, with 7 million metric tons of lithium reserves, most of which are found in Western Australia.
As of 2023, Australia produces 53% of the world's annual lithium supply, with 47% coming from mines in Western Australia.
The Greenbushes mine in the southwest of Western Australia is Australia's biggest and oldest lithium mine. It is co-operated by the Chinese company Tianqi Lithium and the Australian companies Talison Lithium and IGO Limited.
