Lithium - Electrifying the Future

Lithium is used in a variety of rechargeable batteries for electronics, such as electric vehicles, digital cameras, mobile phones, and laptops.

A relatively rare element, lithium is a soft, light metal, found in rocks and subsurface fluids called brines. It is the major ingredient in the rechargeable batteries found in your phone, hybrid cars, electric bikes, and even large, grid-scale storage batteries.

As a “critical mineral necessary for rechargeable electric batteries, lithium has been identified as a material essential to the economic or national security of the United States. Researchers have been exploring how geothermal brines brought up to the Earth’s surface as part of geothermal power production may also be a critical resource for future lithium supply.

Lithium Deep Dives

Because of the critical importance of lithium, the Geothermal Technologies Office (GTO) is investing in research and development to support lithium extraction from geothermal brines in a variety of ways—and federal investment doesn’t stop there.

Explore the many resources available on lithium below.

GTO Resources

Department of Energy Resources

Other Resources

Lithium in the News

Lithium extraction projects are part of GTO’s Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) program. Learn more about other EGS efforts and GTO priorities