The Lithium Triangle: why the south holds the world’s reserves
Argentina, Chile and Bolivia share the region with the planet’s highest concentration of lithium resources. Where each one stands.
A unique geography
The Lithium Triangle spans the high-altitude salt flats of Argentina, Chile and Bolivia. Millions of years of evaporation in closed Andean basins left exceptionally lithium-rich brines beneath the white surface of the salars.
According to the USGS, Chile leads world reserves at around 31%, followed by Australia (23.3%) and Argentina (13.3%). China and the United States round out the extended ranking.
Argentina’s rise
Although Chile has more reserves, Argentina is the one growing fastest. With six active operations and several projects under construction, national output rose from 74,600 tonnes in 2024 to a projected 130,800 in 2025, and the sector expects to keep scaling this decade.
The difference with its neighbors lies in the framework: a federal system where provinces own the resource, competitive costs and, since 2024, the RIGI as an anchor of predictability for large investments.