The Indicator from Planet Money The race to produce lithium
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Jan 15, 2025 Lithium is the hot commodity driving the future of electric vehicles and AI technology. The U.S. once dominated lithium production but now faces intense competition from China. The podcast dives into the geopolitical tensions affecting lithium markets and the environmental challenges tied to domestic production. Efforts to revive U.S. mining operations are complicated by community opposition and fluctuating prices. Discover how these dynamics are reshaping the energy landscape and the strategic importance of lithium in a modern economy.
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Lithium's Importance and China's Dominance
- Lithium is crucial for 21st-century tech like EVs and batteries.
- China processes about two-thirds of the world's lithium.
US Lithium Production Decline
- Ernest Scheider, author of The War Below, compares lithium's 21st-century importance to oil's 20th-century dominance.
- The US, once a lithium pioneer, is now trying to catch up.
Albemarle and US Lithium History
- Albemarle, the only US lithium mine, highlights America's lithium history.
- Lithium's role in the Manhattan Project led to US dominance, which later declined due to cheaper extraction elsewhere.
