Ioneer’s Rhyolite Ridge Lithium Mine Gains Approval Amid Controversy
Dyer, Nevada – A significant step forward for the U.S. lithium supply occurred recently as Ioneer Ltd. received final federal approval for its Rhyolite Ridge lithium-boron mine near the California border. This mine, which the company says can produce enough lithium for 370,000 electric vehicle (EV) batteries annually, marks only the second major lithium mining project approved in the U.S. in a decade, following Thacker Pass’s authorization in 2021.
Bernard Rowe, Ioneer’s co-founder, emphasizes the mine’s importance for the energy transition, especially as the U.S. seeks to reduce reliance on foreign minerals amid surging demand for electric vehicles. The U.S. government is financially backing the project that also includes a processing facility, with contracts already established with major automakers like Ford and Toyota.
Despite the optimistic outlook from Ioneer, controversy looms. Just days after the project was approved, environmental groups and tribal activists launched legal action against the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). They argue that the BLM expedited the permitting process without thorough consideration of environmental and cultural impacts, particularly regarding the endangered Theim’s buckwheat plant found in the region.
Former Timbisha Shoshone Tribe Chairman Joe Kennedy, who opposes the mine, voiced concerns over the impact on sacred indigenous lands. Local residents, however, are hopeful that the mine will rejuvenate the stagnant economy and provide jobs in a community struggling for growth.
With President-elect Trump signaling potential shifts in energy policy, uncertainty hangs over the future of the project. Nonetheless, Rowe remains confident, dismissing impending political changes as a headwind, and anticipates the mine will begin operations by 2028, essential for bolstering the domestic EV industry.
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