A groundbreaking study led by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) revealed a potentially massive lithium reserve beneath southwestern Arkansas, which researchers say far exceeds the current worldwide demand.
According to the study published in Science Advances, researchers estimate between 5 and 19 million tons of lithium reserves are present in the region. If commercially recoverable, the supply could potentially meet the projected 2030 world demand for lithium in car batteries nine times over, according to a press release Monday by the U.S. agency.