The Appalachian Mountains, stretching from Alabama to Maine in the United States, are home to an estimated 2.5 million tons of extractable lithium, according to new research by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). This amount is sufficient to manufacture 500 billion cellphones, 180 billion laptops, or 130 million electric vehicles. The findings indicate that these reserves could replace U.S. lithium imports for 328 years at last year's consumption levels, potentially reducing reliance on foreign sources like China, Argentina, and Chile. The lithium is primarily located in pegmatites, coarse-grained rocks that are scattered throughout the eastern U.S. The northern Appalachians, including states like Maine and New Hampshire, contain about 990,000 tons of lithium, while the southern Appalachians, covering states such as North Carolina and South Carolina, hold approximately 1.57 million tons. However, mining these resources poses environmental risks, including habitat destruction and pollution from mining activities. The USGS's assessment is part of a broader effort to evaluate lithium resources across the country, highlighting the growing demand for lithium in electronics and electric vehicle batteries.