Australia mines more lithium than any other country — but most of that lithium is refined in China, which dominates the world’s refined production. Now, countries such as Australia and the U.S. are looking to refine more lithium at home, and North Carolina is well-positioned to benefit.
A lithium refinery is raising money to ramp up production in Greensboro. Sheeba Dawood cofounded Minerva Lithium with her former professor at UNC Greensboro, Hemali Rathnayake.
Dawood said the majority of lithium refining happens overseas. Australia, China and Chile mine most of the world’s lithium, but China refines more than Chile and Australia combined, according to data from the International Energy Agency.
However, North Carolina is becoming a hub for the mineral, following a string of billion-dollar private investments. International mining company Albemarle, which owns mines in Australia and Chile, plans to reopen the Kings Mountain lithium mine in Gaston County. Toyota built a battery manufacturing plant in Randolph County and may be looking to shore up its domestic supply of battery-grade lithium products. Vietnamese electric vehicle manufacturer Vinfast has begun developing land in Chatham County, though local news outlets report the project has been plagued by delays…