Top Ten Biggest Lithium Mines In The World

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Top Ten Biggest Lithium Mines In The World

From Mining Technology, updated May 28, 2020.

Western Australia: five of the world's biggest lithium mines.

1. Sonora Lithium Project, 243.8 metric tons. Sonora, Mexico. JV, Mexico/Chinese. LCE. Open-pit. Environmental disaster.
2. Thacker Pass Lithium Project, 179.4 metric tons. Humboldt County, NV. Lithiums Americas. Pre-feasibility study completed in August, 2018. Phase one is expected to be commissioned in 2022; phase two, 2026. LCE. Open-pit. Environmental disaster.
3. Wodgina Lithium Project, 151.94 metric tons. Australia. Mineral Resources. JV with Albermarle. Spodumene. Open-pit, Environmental disaster. See screenshot below.
4. Pilgangoora Lithium-Tantalum Project, 108.2 metric tons. Australia. Pilbara Minerals. Spodumene. Open-pit. Environmental disaster.
5. Earl Grey Lithium Project, 94.2 metric tons. Australia. Kidman Resources, Chile (Covalent Lithium). Spodumene. Unsaid but probably open-pit. Expected to be commissioned in 2020.
6. Greenbushes Lithium Project, 86.4 metric tons. Australia. Chinese. Second and third processing plant were to be commissioned in 2019. Unsaid, but likely to be open-pit.
7. Whabouchi Lithium Project, 36.6 metric tons. Central Quebec, Canada. Canadian mining company. open-pit and underground mining. Production is was to have begun June, 2020.
8. Altura Mining's Pilgangoora Lithium, 34.2 metric tons. Australia. Open pit. Two stages. First stage commissioned in early 2019; second phase could begin in 2022, or thereabouts.
9. Goulamina Lithium Project, 31.2 metric tons. Southern Mali, operated by an Australian company. Open-cut. Currently carrying out the definitive feasibility study. FID on the project is expected to be taken in second half of 2020.
10. Arcadia Lithium Project, 26. 9 metric tons. Zimbabwe. Operated by an Australian mining company. Spodumene. The DFS was completed in November, 2018; currently under construction; expected to be commissioned in second half of 2020.

Open-pit lithium mine. Compare with a Bakken eco-pad.