[triceratops]

Lithium is one of the most abundant elements on earth.

Newer battery chemistries don't use lithium.

By the time we use enough energy to run out of all the elements we could make batteries with, we're likely to be at the "cheap asteroid mining" level of technological development.

[giantg2]

Abundant doesn't mean unlimited, nor does it mean economical or environmentally friendly to access. The point is that most countries would need to import metals and minerals critical to renewable energy.

[triceratops]

Batteries aren't burned to produce energy. They can be recycled. They can use elements besides lithium.

We're talking about a trickle of imports if recycling doesn't cover growing needs.

[giantg2]

If you have growth in demand and population, recycling is unlikely to cover it.