A massive 18 million tons of lithium, valued at $540 billion, has been discovered beneath California’s Salton Sea, potentially making the U.S. self-sufficient in lithium.

 

 

A massive 18 million tons of lithium, valued at $540 billion, has been discovered beneath California’s Salton Sea, potentially making the U.S. self-sufficient in lithium.

This "white gold" could power 382 million EVs—more than all cars on U.S. roads—while cutting reliance on foreign lithium imports.

Called the “Saudi Arabia of lithium” by Governor Gavin Newsom, this discovery could turn the U.S. into a global battery leader.