A comprehensive up-to-date list of all the major mines for extracting lithium, nickel, and cobalt for making electric vehicle batteries around the world. These three elements are the most critical for EV batteries. An average Tesla S battery contains 63kg of lithium carbonate Li2CO3 (of which 12kg is pure lithium), 50kg (80% of cathode) of nickel, and 7.5kg (15% of cathode). Other metals include aluminum and managanese in lesser amounts.
kt = thousand tons
Mt = million tons
Largest lithium (Li) mines
| Mine |
Output |
Country |
| Greenbushes Lithium |
86.4 Mt |
AU |
| Wodgina Lithium |
151.94 Mt |
AU |
| Pilgangoora Lithium-Tantalum |
108.2 Mt |
AU |
| Earl Grey Lithium |
94.2 Mt |
AU |
| Altura Pilgangoora Lithium |
34.2 Mt |
AU |
| Whabouchi Lithium |
36.6 Mt |
Canada |
| Goulamina Lithium |
31.2 Mt |
Mali |
| Sonora Lithium |
243.8 Mt |
Mexico |
| Thacker Pass Lithium |
179.4 Mt |
USA |
| Arcadia Lithium |
26.9 Mt |
Zimbabwe |
Largest nickel (Ni) mines
| Mine |
Output |
Country |
| BHP Billiton |
70 kt |
Australia |
| Vale |
243 kt |
Brazil |
| Glencore |
130 kt |
Canada |
| Tsingshan Group |
330 kt |
China |
| Jinchuan |
180 kt |
China |
| Shandong Xinhai |
400 kt |
China |
| Delong |
1 Mt |
Indonesia |
| Sumitomo Metal |
32 kt |
Japan |
| Nornickel |
245 kt |
Russia |
Largest Cobalt (Co) mines
| Mine |
Output |
Country |
| Escondida |
1,400 kt |
Chile |
| Collahuasi |
570 kt |
Chile |
| Chuquicamata |
390 kt |
Chile |
| El Teniente |
422 kt |
Chile |
| Buenavista del Cobre |
525 kt |
Mexico |
| Las Bambas |
430 kt |
Peru |
| Antamina |
450 kt |
Peru |
| Cerro Verde II |
500 kt |
Peru |
| Norilsk/Talnakh Mills |
450 kt |
Russia |
| Morenci |
520 kt |
U.S. |
| Bingham Canyon |
280 kt |
U.S. |
Largest copper (Cu) mines
There are about 180 lbs of copper in an EV car, which is mainly used in motor windings, HV cables, battery interconnects, and the wiring harness.
| Mine |
Output |
Country |
| Escondida |
32 Mt |
Chile |
| Los Bronces |
11.13 Mt |
Chile |
| Radomiro Tomic |
12.1 Mt |
Chile |
| El Teniente |
15.2 Mt |
Chile |
| Andina |
18.8 Mt |
Chile |
| Collahuasi |
25.895 Mt |
Chile |
| Grasberg |
10.47 Mt |
Indonesia |
| Cananea |
26.874 Mt |
Mexico |
| Toquepala |
17.65 Mt |
Peru |
| Cerro Verde |
12.9 Mt |
Peru |