Lithium mining occurs primarily in two regions: Australia, where it’s found in the hard rock spodumene, and South America, where the salt flats of Bolivia, Argentina and Chile contain lithium brines. China and certain countries in Africa, such as Zimbabwe, Mali and the DRC, also have natural lithium deposits. To a lesser extent lithium can also be found in North America, Brazil and Europe. The extracted lithium compounds are refined into battery‑grade lithium carbonate or lithium hydroxide in specialised processing facilities.Â
As with all the metals we source, Umicore has a sustainable sourcing framework for the lithium hydroxide and lithium carbonate we use to produce cathode materials. This framework is the basis of our commitment to limiting the impact of our sourcing and processing activities on people, society, and the environment.