Zimbabwe climbed to fourth among the world's lithium miners
Rank in lithium mine production (lithium content), 2022 and 2024, the six largest producers. US Geological Survey.
- 1. Indonesia now mines two-thirds of the world's nickel
- 2. Kazakhstan mines more uranium than Canada and Namibia combined
- 3. Argentina mined 60% more lithium in just one year
- 4. The price of lithium fell 86% in three years
- 5. Indonesia climbed from ninth to second among cobalt miners
- 6. DR Congo tripled its copper mining in ten years
- 7. DR Congo passed Chile in refined copper
- 8. Zimbabwe climbed to fourth among the world's lithium miners
- 9. DR Congo mines three-quarters of the world's cobalt
- 10. Guinea overtook Australia as the world's biggest bauxite miner
- 11. Brazil mines 93% of the world's niobium
Zimbabwe's rank in 2024, up from sixth in 2022, behind only Australia, Chile and China.
Lithium Zimbabwe mined in 2024, about 19 times its 1,030 t of 2022, ahead of Argentina's 13,800 t.
Zimbabwe's share of world lithium mining in 2024: Africa's biggest source of the battery metal, by far.
the numbers & method
| 2022 (t) | 2024 (t) | |
|---|---|---|
| Zimbabwe | 1,030 | 20,000 |
| Australia | 74,700 | 82,700 |
| Chile | 38,000 | 48,900 |
| China | 22,600 | 41,400 |
| Argentina | 6,590 | 13,800 |
| Brazil | 2,630 | 10,200 |
Claim types Fact · Estimate · Interpretation
Mine production, metric tons of lithium content, US production withheld (world totals exclude the US). 2024: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, lithium: Australia 82,700; Chile 48,900; China 41,400; Zimbabwe 20,000; Argentina 13,800; Brazil 10,200; Canada 4,820; world 222,000 (rounded). 2022: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2024, lithium (https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2024/mcs2024-lithium.pdf): Australia 74,700; Chile 38,000; China 22,600; Argentina 6,590; Brazil 2,630; Zimbabwe 1,030 (estimate). 2023 (MCS 2025): Australia 91,700; Chile 41,400; China 35,700 (estimate); Zimbabwe 14,900 (estimate); Argentina 8,630; Brazil 5,260 (estimate): Zimbabwe first ranked fourth in 2023. 2025 estimates (MCS 2026): Australia 92,000; China 62,000; Chile 56,000; Zimbabwe 28,000; Argentina 23,000; Brazil 12,000; world 290,000; Zimbabwe still fourth. Ranks exclude the United States (withheld). Ranks, ratio (20,000 ÷ 1,030 = 19.4) and share (20,000 ÷ 222,000 = 9.0%) are progrss calculations. Takeaway 3's second clause is Interpretation.
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