Source page: McKinsey & Company
Commentary
These countries are driving lithium production
Metals and mining | Electric vehicles
May 25, 2022 – The largest lithium reserves are found in Latin America and Australia. Of the top ten countries with the largest concentration of lithium reserves, Chile tops the list, with 9.2 million metric tons (obtained from brines.)
To read the article, see “Lithium mining: How new production technologies could fuel the global EV revolution,” April 12, 2022.
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Visual form
Diamond-tile ranking infographic.
Layout / body structure
The chart is a single diagonal ranking built from labeled diamonds that step down from the largest tiles at upper left to the smallest tiles at lower right. Read the biggest country diamonds first, then follow the descending chain of smaller country tiles through the rest of the top-ten list.
What is being compared
The graphic compares the ten countries with the largest confirmed lithium reserves. It also compares the type of reserve base each country holds, separating brine deposits from mineral deposits and mixed brine-and-mineral deposits.
Measurement system
The measurement is million metric tons of lithium reserves, printed directly inside the country diamonds. Color identifies reserve type, so the reader tracks both the numeric size of each country and the geological source behind it.
Visible structure inside the graphic
Two very large anchor diamonds for Chile and Australia dominate the top of the display, followed by a second tier for Argentina and China and then a tapering run of smaller diamonds for the rest of the countries. Because every tile is both scaled and labeled, the ranking reads like a size ladder rather than a map or a bar sequence.
Main takeaway from the visual
The visual shows that lithium reserves are heavily concentrated in just a few countries, especially in Latin America and Australia. After the top four countries, the tile sizes drop off sharply, so the ranking looks top-heavy rather than evenly distributed.
Key standout values or extremes
Chile is the clear leader at 9.2 million metric tons and Australia follows at 5.7 million metric tons. Argentina is a distant third at 2.2 million metric tons and China follows at 1.5 million metric tons, which makes the gap between the first two countries and the rest of the ranking immediately visible.
Controls / sequence, when applicable
This is a static chart image with no in-chart controls to operate.
Companion media, when applicable
There is no separate companion audio or video; the chart image is the full visual on this page.