Thailand discovers nearly 15 mln tonnes of lithium

Thailand has discovered nearly 15 million tonnes of lithium deposits, a boost for the country's goal of becoming a regional hub for electric vehicle (EV) production, its Government announced on January 19.

Government deputy spokeswoman Rudklao Intawong Suwankiri said the 14.8 million tonnes of lithium are distributed between two separate sites in the southern province of Phang Nga.

Lithium is a key component in the manufacture of batteries used in electric cars, as well as smartphones and other electronic items.

The discovery means Thailand has the third largest lithium resources, behind Bolivia and Argentina, but it is not yet clear how much can be exploited commercially.

In December 2023, two Chinese EV giants said they would invest 2.3 billion THB (64 million USD) to develop Thailand as a production hub./.

VNA