According to Forbes, Musk currently tops the global rich list with a jaw-dropping net worth of $416 billion. So, if there’s one person who doesn’t exactly need another cash boost, it’s probably him.
Still, here we are. With the discovery of what’s being called one of the largest known lithium reserves, often dubbed ‘white gold’, Musk may be positioned to make even more money from the booming battery industry.
It’s massive, about 45 by 35 kilometers, and came into existence around 16.4 million years ago after a massive volcanic eruption shook the area.
How much lithium are we talking about, and how did it get there?
After the eruption, a lake eventually filled the collapsed volcano, or caldera—a large depression left behind when a volcano erupts and caves in, according to National Geographic. Over time, volcanic ash and mineral layers settled into the lake and gradually turned into lithium-rich clay deposits.
This site is now believed to hold the largest known lithium reserve on the planet. Experts estimate it may contain anywhere between 20 and 40 million metric tonnes of lithium.
So what does this have to do with Musk? Let’s break it down.
How Elon Musk could benefit from this lithium discovery
Lithium is a critical component in making batteries, especially the rechargeable lithium-ion kind found in smartphones, laptops, and most importantly, electric vehicles. With the global push toward cleaner, greener tech, demand for EVs is only going up.
And who happens to be running one of the most well-known electric car companies on the planet? That would be Elon Musk with Tesla.
Reports suggest this one caldera could supply enough lithium to build as many as 600 million electric vehicles. And because it’s located in the US, that’s great news for American manufacturers, especially considering recent tariff tensions under Trump’s administration.
If Tesla does gain access to this massive resource, it would directly benefit the company and, of course, Musk himself. The billionaire recently confirmed during the Bloomberg Qatar Economic Forum that he’s planning to stay on as CEO of Tesla for at least five more years.
He also said he wants to keep “sufficient voting control” of the company to help guide its future. He insisted it’s not about money, but rather ensuring he can steer the company where he believes it needs to go.
So, if Tesla ends up capitalizing on this newly found lithium stash, it’ll likely be Musk who enjoys the biggest financial gain from the whole deal.
