South America mined lithium supply to grow 77% by 2040

South America’s supply of mined lithium is expected to grow 77% from 2026 levels by 2040, according to Benchmark’s Lithium Service. The region is forecast to supply 444kt LCE in 2026 and 784kt in 2040. This growth is driven in large part by Argentina, which is expected to largely catch up with neighbouring Chile in lithium supply. Argentina’s supply is expected to increase by more than 200% over the period from 111kt to 337kt, while Chile is forecast to grow 25%, from 296kt to 371kt. "Argentina has become a beacon for lithium investment, driven by a combination of high-quality resources and a favourable investment framework, which has been critical in increasing companies' appetite for committing capital,” said Benchmark lithium analyst Federico Gay. “The country is bringing projects online quickly and still has a very attractive development pipeline."