KEY POINTS
- Environmental and Indigenous groups sue to halt Nevada lithium mine.
- The mine may threaten the endangered Tiehm’s buckwheat flower.
- Ioneer plans to proceed with construction despite legal hurdles.
The U.S. Interior Department’s licensing of the Rhyolite Ridge lithium mine project in Nevada was challenged by environmental and Indigenous groups in a lawsuit filed in a federal court in Las Vegas.
The project, which is being led by the Australian mining company Ioneer, has drawn a lot of attention because it is expected to be the first lithium mine in the United States to receive Biden administration approval. The initiative, according to conservationists, puts the endangered Tiehm’s buckwheat plant, which only grows in Nevada, in danger of going extinct.
The organizations, which include the Center for Biological Diversity, assert that the mine will endanger wildlife habitats, wetlands, groundwater, and air quality in addition to endangering the wildflower.
According to the lawsuit, the Interior Department’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM) failed to meet federal standards in its approval, potentially violating the National Environmental Policy Act, Federal Lands Policy and Management Act, and the Endangered Species Act.
Project developments and legal responses
The lawsuit was brought soon after Pioneer was granted federal approval after a six-year review process that involved continuous discussions between the company, regulators, and environmentalists.
The BLM’s decision permits the business to begin development on a lithium resource capable of powering 370,000 electric vehicles yearly. Ioneer, which has acquired a $700 million loan from the U.S. Department of Energy and $490 million in investment from Sibanye Stillwater, is slated to supply lithium for major manufacturers, including Ford.
According to Mining.com, Ioneer is still confident in spite of the legal fight. Pioneer’s vice president of corporate development, Chad Yeftich, said he is certain the project will go according to plan and called the BLM’s permitting procedure “careful and thorough.” “We think that the BLM’s decision will stand up to the legal scrutiny, and we plan to defend it vigorously.”
Environmental concerns and future steps
The Department of the Interior says it has taken important steps to preserve the environment around Rhyolite Ridge, some 225 miles north of Las Vegas. However, conservationists are still dubious, arguing that any advantages the mine may have in producing lithium are exceeded by the possible harm to the ecosystem.
The Tiehm’s buckwheat, which is currently being considered for listing as an endangered species, has come to represent the larger ecological issues associated with crucial mineral extraction.
As stated by Ioneer, building will start the following year, and by 2028, lithium production should be underway. Environmental organizations are urging more steps to be taken as the litigation progresses to guarantee that the project conforms with environmental regulations without endangering delicate plant and animal species.
