by the Journal-Opinion

“A new report from the U.S. Geological Survey is touting the possibility that the region might hold big deposits of the valuable metal lithium, which will come as something of a surprise to New Hampshire, even if it is old hat in Maine,” reports the Concord Monitor.

The study used geological surveys, maps, and rock and soil data to find potential deposits of lithium pegmatites, WPTZ-TV reports.

The USGS assessment found that a region covering the entirety of Maine, New Hampshire, and eastern Vermont is “the most prospective area for undiscovered lithium pegmatite deposits.”

The USGS believes there is enough lithium in the Appalachians to help meet the nation’s growing needs. The federal government and tech companies have prioritized domestic lithium production. 

“At present rates of domestic lithium production and consumption, the USA could supplement its net imports of lithium raw materials for more than 120 years solely from the discovery and exploitation of the recoverable lithium pegmatite resources estimated to be in the northern Appalachian region,” the study states.