Lithium　(Li),　as　a　new　energy　metal,　is　becoming　a　＂hot＂　topic　in　both　academia　and　industry　due　to　the　rapid　vehicle　electrification　and　grid　storage.　Although　brines　have　been　the　major　Li　sources,　Li-bearing　minerals,　owing　to　the　wider　distribution　and　more　rapid　pathway　to　market,　have　also　attracted　much　attention　in　recent　years,　with　a　number　of　new　industrial　projects　launched　and　various　novel　methods　proposed.　The　present　study　provides　a　start-of-the-art　review　of　Li　recovery　from　different　mineral　resources　(i.e.　excluding　brines),　and　gives　perspectives　and　outlook　towards　various　recovery　methods.　In　this　study,　the　major　mineral　deposits　of　Li　are　summarised　and　illustrated,　which　shows　its　high　abundance　and　wide　distribution　around　the　global.　Various　methods　of　Li　recovery　reported　so　far　are　then　summarised　with　flowsheets　and　discussed　by　different　type　of　minerals,　covering　spodumene,　lepidolite,　zinnwaldite,　amblygonite　and　clays.　It　is　predicted　that　spodumene　will　continue　being　dominantly　used　as　Li　source　over　other　minerals　with　sulfuric　acid　(H2SO4)　roasting　as　a　major　method　of　processing.　However,　other　novel　methods　including　direct　processing　of　natural　spodumene　and　the　process　that　favours　the　direct　production　of　LiOH　will　be　the　trends　of　future　research.　Fluoride-based　methods　can　achieve　low　energy　consumption　and　high　extraction　efficiency　but　still　need　to　be　further　investigated　for　a　sustainable,　economical　and　safe　application.　To　compete　with　spodumene,　the　comprehensive　utilization　of　all　the　valuable　elements　contained　in　lepidolite　and　zinnwaldite　is　crucial.　In　most　of　the　recovery　processes,　more　attention　should　be　paid　to　the　treatment　of　voluminous　residue　and　waste　for　a　safe　disposal　or　further　reuse.　In　addition,　this　study　not　only　presents　the　methods　for　Li　recovery,　but　also　includes　various　downstream　separation　and　purification　steps　to　make　the　process　integrated.　It　is　expected　that,　as　a　review　specialising　in　mineral　resources　of　Li,　the　present　study　can　provide　insights　for　the　development　of　this　particular　area.