Yes, China is actively buying, investing in, and developing massive lithium resources globally and domestically, aiming to dominate the lithium supply chain for electric vehicles (EVs) and batteries, securing supply through acquisitions in South America, Africa, and Australia, and rapidly increasing its own mining output, even discovering significant new reserves within China. Chinese firms have acquired significant stakes in major global mines, control much of the processing, and are increasing their production to meet massive demand, leading to concerns about global market control.
Australia exports most of its lithium to China, followed by South Korea, Japan, and the United States. According to the Australian Government Department of Industry, over 90% of Australia's lithium output is exported. China alone purchases nearly 70% of that, due to its dominant refining infrastructure.
Yes, Warren Buffett's company, Berkshire Hathaway, is actively investing in lithium production through a joint venture with Occidental Petroleum (OXY) to extract it from geothermal brine in California, aiming for a domestic supply for the EV market, even though he's traditionally avoided direct lithium mining stocks. They are using advanced Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) technology to turn a byproduct of geothermal energy into valuable battery-grade lithium.
China's the largest consumer of lithium because of its booming electronics and electric vehicle industries.
1. Chile. Chile holds the largest lithium reserves in the world at 9.3 million metric tons.
At the end of 2021, Tesla inked a three-year lithium supply deal with top lithium producer Ganfeng Lithium (OTC Pink:GNENF,SZSE:002460), and the Chinese company began providing products to Tesla starting in 2022.
Currently, the U.S. gets most of its lithium from South American and Australian salt flats.
Lithium demand for energy storage is expected to grow by 55% in 2026, following a jump of 71% in 2025, according to a Reuters calculation based on UBS data.
Ownership. In February 2023, General Motors (GM) completed an initial $320 million investment, becoming Lithium Americas's largest shareholder and offtake partner. In 2024, GM invested a further $625 million, giving it a 38% stake, with the right to buy all lithium produced by the mine's first phase.
The most important use of lithium is in rechargeable batteries for mobile phones, laptops, digital cameras and electric vehicles.
Tesla's chief executive Elon Musk pleaded for more investment in the lithium sector to help tame record high prices and reduce rising battery costs, saying margins for mining companies were now similar to the software industry.
Berkshire bought 17.8 million shares of Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOGL) (NASDAQ: GOOG). It is a relatively small position at 2% of the portfolio, but still noteworthy because Buffett has traditionally avoided technology stocks.
Warren Buffett's 8+8+8 Rule is a principle for balanced living, suggesting you divide your day into three equal eight-hour segments: 8 hours for work, 8 hours for sleep, and 8 hours for yourself (personal life), focusing on rest, health, relationships, and growth, not just productivity, to achieve long-term success and well-being. It emphasizes working smart, prioritizing rest for mental sharpness, and investing in personal development, rather than endless hours, as key to sustainable performance, according to LinkedIn users.
Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited (CATL), the world's largest battery manufacturer, confirmed on Monday, August 11, that it had shut down a mine in Yichun, southeastern China, as it seeks to renew an expired operating license.
Top 5 US Lithium Stocks (Updated January 2026)
Unlike fossil fuels it is not consumed and will be recycled. In short, there's a few orders of magnitude of more lithium around than anyone will ever need.
Tesla secures its lithium supply from multiple global suppliers, including Ganfeng Lithium, Arcadium Lithium, Sichuan Yahua Industrial Group, and Piedmont Lithium. The company also sources lithium spodumene concentrate from Liontown Resources in Australia and is developing its own lithium refinery in Texas.
Demand is expected to explode sevenfold by the end of the decade, driven by electric vehicles and federal mandates to harvest lithium domestically. If lithium succeeds in Arkansas, it could mean high-skilled jobs, rural revitalization and a toehold in a globally significant clean energy industry.
- Hold. Zacks' proprietary data indicates that Lithium Americas Corp. is currently rated as a Zacks Rank 3 and we are expecting an inline return from the LAC shares relative to the market in the next few months.
What battery will replace lithium? Sodium-ion batteries are seen as a safer and more sustainable alternative to lithium-ion batteries.
At the end of 2021, Tesla inked a three-year lithium supply deal with top lithium producer Ganfeng Lithium (OTC Pink:GNENF,SZSE:002460), and the Chinese company began providing products to Tesla starting in 2022.
The demand for lithium is expected to continue to grow in the coming years. By investing in lithium-related stocks, you may be able to benefit that increasing demand for this commodity has on its price.
The 2022 annual global consumption of lithium was 180,000 tons. But by 2025, this number is projected to increase to between 393,000 to 493,000 tons. [2,3] Dividing the 21 million tons of lithium reserves by the extremes of this range reveals that lithium should be depleted within the next 43 to 53 years.
Mining lithium uses lots of water. Unfortunately most of the lithium in the US is not in a place where there's lots of water (Nevada, Utah, etc). Plus it is a fairly dirty process, and US environmental standards make it much more expensive than a place with more lax regulations.
But while lithium and cobalt mining produce a much lower amount of carbon emissions compared to fossil fuel extraction, they still have significant environmental impacts, including habitat destruction, water pollution, and other ecological concerns.