Massive Lithium Reserve Discovered Beneath California’s Salton Sea

Scientists have uncovered a vast lithium reserve worth nearly £429 billion ($540 billion) beneath California's Salton Sea, revealing a staggering potential supply of the valuable element. The Salton Sea, already known to be sitting on a lithium reserve, was found to conceal far more of the element than previously thought. A new study, funded by the Department of Energy, set out to determine just how much lithium lies beneath the giant lake.

The study found that the Salton Sea could contain up to 18 million metric tons of lithium, a significant increase from earlier estimates of around four million tons. This massive reserve could potentially supply enough lithium to power more than 382 million electric vehicle (EV) batteries, making the Salton Sea the largest lithium reservoir in the world. The discovery has earned the Californian lake the nickname of the "Saudi Arabia of lithium mining," a term previously used by California Governor Gavin Newsom.

Lithium, often referred to as "white gold," is a lightweight, silvery-white metal that plays a crucial role in batteries for electric vehicles, phones, and laptops. Although lithium has been known for almost two centuries, its importance has skyrocketed in recent years due to the rising demand for electric vehicles and energy storage solutions. Global lithium production has surged by 334% in the past three years, and demand is expected to double by the end of this year.

Professor Michael McKibben, one of the study's authors and a geochemistry professor at the University of California, Riverside, stated that the Salton Sea contains one of the largest lithium brine deposits in the world. “This could make the United States completely self-sufficient in lithium and stop importing it through China,” McKibben said.

Sammy Roth, a climate columnist for the Los Angeles Times, described the discovery as an "eye-popping" number during an interview with KJZZ radio. He noted that while lithium in the Salton Sea has been known for a long time, recent findings suggest there could be enough lithium to supply batteries for 382 million electric vehicles—more than the total number of vehicles currently on U.S. roads.

The Salton Sea's newly uncovered lithium wealth could significantly enhance the United States' position in the global lithium market, reducing dependence on imports from regions like Latin America's "Lithium Triangle" in Argentina, Chile, and Bolivia, which together hold more than 65% of the world's lithium reserves.