US losing ground to China, Russia in South American lithium rush
U.S. companies are hitting speedbumps in the race to win contracts to extract lithium in the Americas, particularly as the Chinese and Russian governments throw their weight around to land such agreements. While the most easily exploitable currently known lithium deposits are in Chile, Argentina and Bolivia, the United States has so far not been able to capitalize on its influence in the Western Hemisphere to support its companies. … One of the places in the United States with the best lithium potential is California’s Salton Sea, which abuts [D-Calif. Rep. Raul] Ruiz’s district. Ruiz said an environmentally exploited Salton Sea could cover U.S. lithium requirements while creating economic development in the area.