China announces lithium deposit discovery containing more than 1.3 million tons

China announced a major new source of lithium in Hunan Province, confirming 490 million tons of ore that contain about 1.31 million tons of lithium oxide in the Jijiaoshan mining area of Linwu County.

Officials reported that the ore body is continuous and that associated elements include rubidium, tungsten, tin, niobium, and tantalum. 

Geologists classify the find as an altered granite-type deposit, which is a hard rock source rather than a salt brine.

A recent study of the Tongtianmiao granite pluton in southern Hunan explains how lithium-enriched granites form and why this belt hosts significant resources. 

What makes this deposit different

Field work around Tongtianmiao has been led in part by Xu Yiming, a professor at the Mineral Resources Survey Institute of Hunan Province.

The team used modern modeling and drilling to map lithium-rich zones with better precision than older surveys allowed. 

Altered granite systems often carry lithium in mica minerals, and they can sit beside long known tungsten and tin belts in southern China.

The Tongtianmiao pluton sits within the Nanling metallogenic belt, a region with a long history of rare metal mining supported by detailed petrogeochemical evidence. 

Hard rock mines and brine fields both supply lithium, but they behave differently.

Global production today draws on both sources, and operating data show a mix of mineral and brine operations across several countries, including China.

Why the numbers matter

The ore figure is useful, but battery makers think in lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE).

Using a standard conversion, 1.31 million tons of lithium oxide equates to roughly 3.24 million tons of lithium carbonate equivalent, assuming 100 percent recovery. 

Another lens is elemental lithium. Lithium oxide is about 46 percent lithium by mass, so the resource contains on the order of 0.61 million tons of lithium metal.

That number provides a clean comparison with production statistics that are conventionally tracked in elemental lithium units. 

In 2024, world mine output was about 240,000 tons of lithium, not counting withheld U.S. figures. Prices cooled last year as new supply arrived, yet consumption still rose, reflecting steady battery demand. 

How it fits into global supply

The USGS reports that China holds about 3 million tons of lithium reserves, with much larger resources identified as exploration expands.

The Hunan discovery strengthens domestic supply, which policy makers value for security and planning. 

Reserves and resources are not the same thing. Reserves reflect what can be mined economically with today’s technology, while resources can be larger and require more work to convert to reserves. 

What it means for Hunan

“This newly discovered lithium reserve would provide resources for the city of Chenzhou, which administers Linwu, to further develop its new-energy industry,” said Yiming. 

Local planners expect more jobs in geology, mining, processing, and materials engineering.

Suppliers that make cathode powders, anodes, electrolytes, and separators often cluster near raw materials, which can shorten supply chains and cut transport costs. 

Environmental and technical notes

Granite-hosted systems differ from brines in both chemistry and processing routes.

Developers will choose flow sheets that match the mineralogy, balancing recovery, energy use, reagents, and byproduct streams. 

The Tongtianmiao pluton has been dated and chemically profiled, and researchers tie its lithium enrichment to specific magmatic histories in the Middle Jurassic.

Understanding those histories matters because it guides where to place the next drill holes. 

Policy and strategic context

China has been working to lower its reliance on imported lithium, which has often come from South America and Australia.

Expanding domestic sources reduces exposure to global price swings and geopolitical risks tied to critical minerals.

The Ministry of Natural Resources has made resource security a key policy priority.

Large finds like Jijiaoshan fit into that plan by supporting supply stability for industries that include electric vehicles, consumer electronics, and national defense.

What to watch next

Turning a large discovery into production takes detailed feasibility studies, environmental assessment, and investment in concentrators and refineries.

Timelines depend on ore quality, infrastructure, power, water, offtake deals, and the capacity of nearby chemical plants. 

Global markets will watch how much of the identified resource converts to proven reserves and steady annual output.

Prices, technology shifts in battery chemistry, and recycling will also shape how this deposit shows up in future supply curves. 

The study is published in Minerals.

—–

Like what you read? Subscribe to our newsletter for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates. 

Check us out on EarthSnap, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

—–