Gold and diamonds have fascinated people for centuries, but one of the world's most important rocks looks surprisingly ordinary. It doesn't sparkle, and most people would walk past it without a second glance. Yet inside certain hard-rock deposits lies lithium-bearing mineral ore, the primary source of lithium used in rechargeable batteries that power electric vehicles, smartphones, laptops, and increasingly, large energy storage systems connected to power grids.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), lithium is one of the United States' designated critical minerals because of its growing role in energy security, manufacturing, and modern technology.
