What are the sources of lithium?

The two primary sources of lithium are spodumene mines and salar brine water. Spodumene is composed of hard rock and crystal, which contain lithium, and are extracted during mining. Australia is the largest producer of spodumene, as the world’s largest mines are found there. Lithium mining has certain drawbacks as it is an expensive process and produces large amounts of waste, causing negative environmental impacts. 

It is suggested that over half of the world’s lithium is currently extracted from salar brine water. Brine deposits are accumulated saltwater which have dissolved lithium. Chile, China, and Argentina are major producers of lithium-containing salars as they have the ideal geological conditions and climate which allow for the extraction of lithium. On a side note, extractions from geothermal brines and oilfields have been seen as potential sources of lithium for the future.