The opening of lithium mines in Europe has long been neglected by public authorities but, in the light of the energy transition initiated by the European Union (EU), it now seems likely to be an essential element in the EU’s strategic independence, since lithium is an important component of the lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries that are widely used in electric vehicles (EVs).
An Abundant Resource Produced Mainly Outside Europe
Lithium is the thirty-second most abundant element in the earth’s crust, and is therefore relatively widely available. It is especially found in so-called “conventional” types of deposits, namely salar brines (62%) and lithiniferous rocks (27%). South America has the world’s largest identified lithium resources: the “Lithium Triangle” (straddling Chile, Argentina, and Bolivia) is estimated to account for 60% of the world’s resources of the mineral. Australia and China also have significant lithium resources.
The main global producers are Australia (48.7% of global lithium production in 2020), Chile (21.9%), China (17%), and Argentina (7.5%). In Europe, only Portugal has a lithium mine, which produced 400 tonnes in 2019, far too little to meet the demands of the European automotive industry. Consequently, opening
