China is rich in abundant lithium resources characterized by considerable reserves and a concentrated distribution of metallogenic zones or belts, with proven reserves of 4046.8×103 t (calculated based on Li2O) by 2021. China is also a big consumer of lithium. By 2019, China 's lithium consumption in the battery sector alone had reached 99×103 t, with an average annual growth rate of nearly 26％. China has become the world 's largest importer of lithium resources, showing a severely unbalanced relationship between supply and demand for lithium resources. Therefore, there is an urgent need for the prospecting, exploitation, and study of lithium resources in China. This study collected, organized, and summarized the data on the major lithium deposits in China, analyzed and compared the spatial-temporal distribution patterns, geological characteristics, and metallogenic regularity of these lithium deposits, and summarized the prospecting and research achievements over the last decade. The major lithium deposits in China are distributed in provinces and regions such as Qinghai, Jiangxi, Sichuan, Tibet, and Xinjiang. These deposits are mostly small in scale. According to different genetic types, this study divided lithium deposits into granitic pegmatite type, granite type, saline lake brine type, underground brine type, and sedimentary type, as well as new types including hot spring type and magmatic-hydrothermal type, and summarized the characteristics and key metallogenic factors of these different types of deposits. Sixteen metallogenic prospect areas of lithium deposits were delineated according to the deposit types and the distribution patterns of metallogenic belts. The paper introduced the research progress in major metallogenic models and lithium extraction techniques made over the past decade. Based on the comprehensive analysis of the prospecting potential of lithium deposits, the authors concluded that the future prospecting of lithium resources in China should focus on lithium metallogenic belts, the deep and peripheral areas of currently determined large-scale pegmatite-type lithium deposits, geophysical-geochemical anomalous areas with mineralization clues, and areas with developed large-scale low-grade associated granite-type and sedimentary lithium resources. The study aims to serve as a guide for the future prospecting of lithium deposits in China.

Bo Zhang;Fan-yu Qi;Xue-zheng Gao;Xiao-lei Li;Yun-tao Shang;Zhao-yu Kong;Li-qiong Jia;Jie Meng;Hui Guo;Fu-kang Fang;Yan-bin Liu;Xiao Jiang;Hui Chai;Zi Liu;Xian-tao Ye;Guo-dong Wang

Development and Research Center,China Geological Survey,Ministry of Natural Resources,Beijing 100037,China;School of Earth Sciences and Resources,China University of Geosciences,Beijing 100083,China;China Coal Geology Group Company Limited,Beijing 100040,China;China Aero Geophysical Survey and Remote Sensing Center for Natural Resources,Beijing 100083,China;China National Geological Exploration Center of Building Materials Industry,Beijing 100035,China;Beijing Institute of Geology for Mineral Resources Company Limited,Beijing 100012,China;College of Oceanography,Hohai University,Nanjing 210098,China;School of Resources and Environment,Linyi University,Linyi 276005,China

中国地质（英文）

[1]Bo Zhang;Fan-yu Qi;Xue-zheng Gao;Xiao-lei Li;Yun-tao Shang;Zhao-yu Kong;Li-qiong Jia;Jie Meng;Hui Guo;Fu-kang Fang;Yan-bin Liu;Xiao Jiang;Hui Chai;Zi Liu;Xian-tao Ye;Guo-dong Wang-.Geological characteristics, metallogenic regularity, and research progress of lithium deposits in China)[J].中国地质（英文）,2022(04):734-767

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