How much lithium does China produce and export?
China is the 2nd largest producer of lithium: 62,000 tonnes in 2025, 21% of the world's 290,000 tonnes (USGS MCS). It is the nullth largest exporter by value: $62.6 million in 2024, 1.6% of world exports of lithium carbonate (HS 283691) (CEPII BACI). Its biggest customer is Japan, which takes 57% of its lithium exports by value.
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China's lithium production
| World rank | Production (tonnes) | Share of world | Ten-year growth | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 62,000 tonnes | 21% | — | 2025 |
USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries, MCS 2026.
China's lithium exports
| World rank | Export value | Share of world exports | Quantity (tonnes) | Average value per tonne | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $62.6 million | 1.6% | 3,836 t | $16,311 | 2024 |
CEPII BACI international trade database (HS22, V202601), HS 283691 (Lithium carbonate).
Where China's lithium goes
| Destination | Value | Share of China's exports |
|---|---|---|
| Japan | $35M | 57% |
| South Korea | $8M | 14% |
| Russia | $3M | 5.3% |
| Australia | $3M | 4.3% |
| India | $3M | 4.1% |
China as a buyer of lithium
China imported $2.6 billion of lithium carbonate (HS 283691) in 2024, 67% of world imports, ranked #1. Of its $2.6 billion of lithium imports in 2024, 78% came from Chile and 18% from Argentina, among 26 suppliers. Largest sources: Chile (78%), Argentina (18%), South Korea (2.2%), United Kingdom (0.5%), Bolivia (0.5%).
The lithium price China sells into
The benchmark price, Lithium metal, 99% battery grade, was $148,620/t in August 2026, up 82% over twelve months. A single country's export price can differ from the benchmark: see trade price against benchmark. Monthly averages lag the market and are not investment advice. Lithium price history.
Cite as: Commodity Origins, "China lithium: production, exports and prices", https://commodityorigins.com/countries/CHN/lithium/ (CC BY 4.0). Rankings count only countries reporting to the sources named; this page is shown only for top-five producers or exporters with at least 3% of the world total. Report an issue with this page.