America could be a giant mine of the “energy of the future”. Yes, the same one that China boasts about, and that is leading them to the leadership of the ecological transition. However, the latest projects being developed in the country are worrying us quite a lot. We have just learned that the White House is prepared to “dry” the rivers and extract this gigantic and promising source. It is not 100% clean, but it rivals hydrogen and could be an alternative to the rest of the rare earths (also in Asia).
The White House is ready to “dry up” America: We have the same energy China is massively producing
Currently, there has been development in lithium mining in the United States mainly because of the increased demand for lithium-ion batteries, which are used in electric vehicles and renewable energy storage systems. However, the extraction of lithium is increasing rapidly and significantly, due to which many problems are arising.
The US government has committed a lot of capital for the development of lithium extraction at home with the help of the IRA and BIL. These calls have envisaged the distribution of billions of dollars to fund mining activities, mostly to avoid dependence on lithium imports from countries like China, which currently controls more than 75% of the global lithium market.
It is estimated that the IRA has pumped around $11 billion into the UK economy. 7 billion to the Department of Energy (DOE) for finances that provide loans for energy initiatives, such as lithium mines. This financial support has brought back the mining industry, so you find that to undertake new extraction projects, many firms have the backing of the government.
America could take the lead on lithium production: 3 states and 2 projects to understand how
Most of the lithium mining projects are in the United States and, more so, are within the western region, specifically Nevada. Out of the 72 lithium mines proposed for new exploration, forty of them are in Nevada, making it the king of lithium mines in the country. Other states involved in lithium mining projects include:
- California: The US state that boasts of many prospective ventures, thus, next to the Salton Sea, which is known as “the Saudi Arabia of lithium” based on the lithium brine deposits.
- North Carolina: It became a promising player in the lithium production with new exploration projects.
- Oregon and Utah: They have also proposed projects concerning the exploitation of lithium deposits in the local region.
Thacker Pass Mine
Currently, one of the largest projects in planning and construction is the Thacker Pass lithium project in the north of Nevada, which is being developed by Lithium Americas. This mine is estimated to be the second-most active lithium mine in the U.S. and has the potential to attain full production by the year 2028 once it produces lithium for 800,000 electric vehicles.
Silver Peak Mine
The Silver Peak lithium mine, established in the 1960s, is the only lithium mine presently in the U.S.; it has been pumping nearly four billion gallons of water per year, which has caused concerns about its effect on the aquifer system.
The Central Nevada Regional Water Authority has also complained that water levels in the region have considerably reduced, and this is the effect of mining activities which impacts on availability of water.
Do you understand why there is concern about lithium mining in America? These regions have enormous potential in the coming years, but they still have a serious handicap: they are not ready for massive extraction in the short term, so China will still have enough room to develop an even more powerful industry. The only thing that is clear at this point is that we will need to make more progress on offshore rare earths without compromising ecosystems.
