Electrification
Lithium Consumption Has Nearly Quadrupled Since 2010
Lithium Consumption Has Nearly Quadrupled Since 2010
Lithium is well-known as one of the key materials behind the lithium-ion batteries that power electronic devices, electric vehicles, and energy storage technologies.
Because of its role in clean energy technologies, lithium demand hasn’t only increased, it has transformed. From primarily being used for ceramics, battery demand has taken over global lithium consumption and driven an almost four-fold increase since 2010.
The Impact of EV Batteries
Between 2000 and 2010, lithium consumption in batteries increased by 20% on average every year. In the following decade, that figure jumped to 107% per year for batteries, with overall lithium consumption growing 27% annually on average.
The full breakdown from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) shows the impact of battery consumption:
| End-use | Lithium Consumption 2010 (%) | Lithium Consumption 2021 (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Batteries | 23% | 74% |
| Ceramics and glass | 31% | 14% |
| Lubricating greases | 10% | 3% |
| Air treatment | 5% | 1% |
| Continuous casting | 4% | 2% |
| Other | 27% | 6% |
| Total | 100% | 100% |
Back in 2010, the single largest end-use of lithium was in ceramics and glass manufacturing. Adding lithium carbonate to the coatings on ceramics and glassware reduces their thermal expansion, which is often essential for modern glass-ceramic cooktops.
But over the course of the decade, the EV market grew rapidly, with the global market share of EVs surging from 0.01% in 2010 to 8.6% in 2021. This had a ripple effect on the demand for batteries, which now account for nearly three-fourths of worldwide lithium consumption.
Additionally, the lightweight metal also has other important applications that are less well-known. For instance, lithium-based lubricant greases represent over 70% of global grease production for technical uses. Additionally, it’s also used in die casting, color pigment creation, aluminum smelting, and gas and air treatment.
What’s Next for Lithium Consumption?
With mainstream EV adoption on the horizon, the 2020s could mark another decade of growing lithium consumption.
Multiple countries have pledged to phase out internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles by 2030, and large automakers like Volkswagen, GM, and Ford plan on rolling out several new EV models.
As EV demand rises, it’s likely that lithium consumption—especially in batteries—will continue increasing, with batteries expected to use 84% of all lithium produced in 2025.
Electrification
Ranked: The Top Lithium-Ion Battery Producing Countries by 2030
Chinese companies are expected to hold nearly 70% of global battery capacity by decade’s end.
Top Lithium-Ion Battery Producers by 2030
Lithium-ion batteries are essential for a clean economy due to their high energy density and efficiency. They power most portable consumer electronics, such as cell phones and laptops, and are used in the majority of today’s electric vehicles.
This graphic uses exclusive data from our partner, Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, to rank the top lithium-ion battery producing countries by their forecasted capacity (measured in gigawatt-hours or GWh) in 2030.
China to Keep Dominance
Chinese companies are expected to account for nearly 70% of global battery capacity by 2030, delivering over 6,200 gigawatt-hours. Chinese giant Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited (CATL) alone is forecasted to produce more than the combined output from Canada, France, Hungary, Germany, and the UK.
| Country | 2030F capacity (GWh) | Top producers |
|---|---|---|
| 🇨🇳 China | 6,268.3 | CATL, BYD, CALB |
| 🇺🇸 U.S. | 1,260.6 | Tesla, LGES, SK On |
| 🇩🇪 Germany | 261.8 | Tesla, Northvolt, VW |
| 🇭🇺 Hungary | 210.1 | CATL, SK On, Samsung |
| 🇨🇦 Canada | 203.8 | Northvolt, LGES, VW |
| 🇫🇷 France | 162.0 | Verkor, Prologium, ACC |
| 🇰🇷 South Korea | 94.5 | LGES, Samsung, SK On |
| 🇬🇧 UK | 66.9 | Envision, Tata |
Currently, China is home to six of the world’s 10 biggest battery makers. China’s battery dominance is driven by its vertical integration across the entire EV supply chain, from mining metals to producing EVs.
By 2030, the U.S. is expected to be second in battery capacity after China, with 1,261 gigawatt-hours, led by LG Energy Solution and Tesla.
In Europe, Germany is forecasted to lead in lithium-ion battery production, with 262 gigawatt-hours, most of it coming from Tesla. The company currently operates its Giga Berlin plant in the country, Tesla’s first manufacturing location in Europe.
Learn More About Batteries From Visual Capitalist
If you enjoyed this post, be sure to check out Charted: Investment Needed to Meet Battery Demand by 2040. This visualization shows the total capital expenditure (capex) requirements to build capacity to meet future battery demand by 2030 and 2040.
Electrification
Visualizing the Growth of Chinese Copper Miners
Chinese miners are set to overtake major producers by 2025.
Visualizing the Growth of Chinese Copper Miners
China, with its huge manufacturing sector, is by far the biggest consumer of copper.
Currently, 70% of copper used in China is imported. As a result, the country has invested heavily in copper mines to secure future supply.
This graphic uses exclusive data from our partner, Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, to compare copper output from the top three global producers with Chinese miners. Since some of the mining operations have shared ownership, this graphic takes into consideration only the portion of production relative to the company’s stake in each mine.
Chinese Miners Set to Overtake Major Producers by 2025
In 2010, Chinese miners produced a total of 1.2 million tonnes of copper. In that same year, the top producer, Chilean state miner Codelco, produced 1.8 million tonnes, while the world’s largest miner and second-largest copper producer, BHP, produced 1 million tonnes.
Over the years, however, Chinese output has surged while major miners have faced challenges. In 2023, Codelco’s production fell to its lowest level in a quarter of a century due to operational problems and project delays.
| Year/millions of tonnes | Zijin | CMOC | MMG | Tongling | Other China | BHP | Freeport | Codelco |
| 2010 | 0.059 | 0.000 | 0.001 | 0.007 | 1.090 | 1.021 | 0.979 | 1.760 |
| 2011 | 0.061 | 0.000 | 0.001 | 0.006 | 0.956 | 0.959 | 0.959 | 1.796 |
| 2012 | 0.082 | 0.000 | 0.046 | 0.007 | 1.070 | 1.070 | 0.975 | 1.805 |
| 2013 | 0.104 | 0.003 | 0.184 | 0.007 | 1.530 | 1.129 | 1.046 | 1.791 |
| 2014 | 0.116 | 0.014 | 0.149 | 0.007 | 1.753 | 1.126 | 1.074 | 1.841 |
| 2015 | 0.126 | 0.040 | 0.199 | 0.007 | 1.810 | 1.085 | 1.230 | 1.891 |
| 2016 | 0.134 | 0.047 | 0.374 | 0.007 | 1.984 | 1.023 | 1.388 | 1.827 |
| 2017 | 0.178 | 0.155 | 0.422 | 0.011 | 1.978 | 0.995 | 1.222 | 1.842 |
| 2018 | 0.212 | 0.127 | 0.383 | 0.019 | 1.967 | 1.161 | 1.239 | 1.807 |
| 2019 | 0.299 | 0.140 | 0.315 | 0.031 | 2.046 | 1.197 | 1.104 | 1.706 |
| 2020 | 0.377 | 0.173 | 0.272 | 0.066 | 2.290 | 1.147 | 1.081 | 1.727 |
| 2021 | 0.518 | 0.192 | 0.235 | 0.093 | 2.378 | 1.068 | 1.328 | 1.728 |
| 2022 | 0.750 | 0.226 | 0.214 | 0.123 | 2.440 | 1.180 | 1.327 | 1.553 |
| 2023F | 0.828 | 0.329 | 0.236 | 0.134 | 2.298 | 1.283 | 1.302 | 1.442 |
| 2024F | 0.886 | 0.460 | 0.301 | 0.121 | 2.421 | 1.423 | 1.421 | 1.414 |
| 2025F | 0.980 | 0.467 | 0.309 | 0.158 | 2.441 | 1.471 | 1.342 | 1.531 |
| 2026F | 1.031 | 0.467 | 0.332 | 0.206 | 2.477 | 1.513 | 1.369 | 1.591 |
| 2027F | 1.036 | 0.568 | 0.332 | 0.255 | 2.467 | 1.383 | 1.345 | 1.600 |
| 2028F | 1.058 | 0.698 | 0.332 | 0.255 | 2.467 | 1.186 | 1.286 | 1.580 |
Meanwhile, China’s biggest copper producer, Zijin Mining, saw its production rise from 0.059 million tonnes in 2010 to 0.8 million tonnes last year.
Combined, Chinese companies produced 3.2 million tonnes of copper in 2023, compared to the combined production of 4 million tonnes by Codelco, Freeport-McMoRan (the biggest copper producer in the U.S.), and BHP.
According to Benchmark Mineral Intelligence data, Chinese miners are forecasted to surpass the three top producers in 2025, with a combined production of 4.4 million tonnes compared to 4.3 million tonnes from Codelco, BHP, and Freeport.
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