Elon Musk eyeing massive payday after scientists discover $1,500,000,000,000 lithium deposit in US state

Elon Musk, already the richest person on the planet with a jaw-dropping fortune of \$416 billion, might be about to make even more money—thanks to a huge discovery of lithium right in the United States.

Geologists have found what could be the biggest lithium deposit in the world, sitting inside an ancient volcanic crater called the McDermitt Caldera, which stretches across parts of Oregon and Nevada. This crater was formed over 16 million years ago after a massive volcanic eruption, and over time, layers of volcanic ash and minerals settled into it, forming clay rich in lithium—often called “white gold” because it’s so valuable in today’s tech-driven world.

Experts estimate that this site could hold somewhere between 20 and 40 million metric tons of lithium. That’s enough to potentially make batteries for around 600 million electric vehicles. Considering that lithium is essential for making the rechargeable batteries used in electric cars, laptops, and smartphones, this find is a very big deal.

So why does this matter for Elon Musk? Because Tesla, the electric car and clean energy company he leads, heavily depends on lithium to make batteries for its vehicles. And Tesla just so happens to be building its own lithium refinery in Texas to supply those needs in-house. That means Tesla—and Musk—could benefit directly from this massive lithium discovery without needing to rely on imports from other countries, especially useful now with increasing global tensions and tariffs.

Even though Musk said recently during a forum in Qatar that it’s not about money for him but about having “reasonable control” over Tesla’s future, the reality is that as a major shareholder—he owns about 12.8% of Tesla—any boost in the company’s success also boosts his personal wealth.

So, despite already sitting on a fortune larger than some countries’ economies, Musk may be about to get a lot richer, thanks to this natural treasure buried under American soil. Life really isn’t fair sometimes.