Lithium Deposits in Africa: A Synthesis of their Economic Geology and Metallogeny with Implications for Regional Mineral Exploration

Lithium minerals are critical raw materials in the production of lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles and the energy storage infrastructure that drives the ongoing clean energy transition. The global surge in demand for lithium has sparked concerns about a potential future supply shortage, prompting a scramble to secure new resources. Currently, approximately 75% of the global lithium supply is derived from salt brines and clays, whereas 25% is obtained from hard-rock pegmatite deposits, which are generally considered a more reliable source of lithium. Africa is a continent endowed with abundant mineral wealth, including lithium, which is contained in the rare-metal pegmatites that were previously mined intermittently for tin and tantalum in many parts of the continent. Africa has now emerged as a destination of choice for several mining companies and investors in the “rush” for the “white gold”. Africa is currently a significant contributor to the global lithium supply chain, accounting for more than 10% of the world's production from several countries that host lithium deposits of varying sizes and ore grades. This paper provides an overview of the economic geology and metallogeny of lithium deposits in Africa, highlighting their geological settings, deposit types, spacetime distributions, ore-forming processes, and ore genesis in relation to orogenic cycles. The paper also discusses the potential for exploring lithium in Africa and identifying new frontier areas and mineral exploration strategies in tropical lateritic terrains. Keywords: Lithium deposits, Africa, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, lithium pegmatites, metallogeny, lithium minerals, mineral exploration.