--- title: "America Approves Colossal Nevada Mine With Enough Lithium for Untold Millions of Electric Cars" description: "The US has approved a gigantic lithium and boron mine, enough of the alkali metal for hundreds of thousands of EV batteries." date: "2024-10-26" modified: "2024-10-26" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/america-approves-nevada-lithium-mine-electric-cars" categories: - "Science & Energy" tags: - "battery storage" - "lithium" - "Mining" - "the digest" --- # America Approves Colossal Nevada Mine With Enough Lithium for Untold Millions of Electric Cars ![The US has approved a gigantic lithium and boron mine, enough of the alkali metal for hundreds of thousands of EV batteries.]() *\Image: Ioneer\* ## Lithiumania The Biden administration has approved a gigantic lithium and boron mine — and though the project could revolutionize America's electric car industry, critics say it could also endanger the survival of a rare wildflower species. As the [*Washington Post* reports](), the Rhyolite Ridge Lithium-Boron Project in southern Nevada, roughly halfway between Las Vegas and Reno, could provide the country with an important source of the alkali metal, which is a crucial component of EV batteries. According to the report, the mine could produce enough lithium for around 370,000 vehicles each year for more than two decades, giving the United States a massive leg up in the reproduction of electric cars. So far, the country has largely relied on lithium battery imports and has been home to [just one operating lithium mine](). "The Rhyolite Ridge lithium mine project is essential to advancing the clean energy transition and powering the economy of the future," said acting deputy interior secretary Laura Daniel-Davis in a [statement](). "This project and the process we have undertaken demonstrates that we can pursue responsible critical mineral development here in the United States, while protecting the health of our public lands and resources." ## Green Energy Gold Still, environmentalists have raised concerns about the mine endangering wildlife species that thrive in the area, as well as its water consumption. The area has been battling a historic drought, as *WaPo* points out. The company behind the project, an Australia-based mining firm called Ioneer, tried to reassure the public during a call with reporters on Thursday. The mine will be "very efficient with water," managing director Bernard Rowe promised, as quoted by *WaPo*. "We recirculate about 50 percent of our water." Ioneer also claims that it will set aside around 719 acres to protect an endangered wildflower. Construction is set to kick off sometime next year and go into full operation in 2028. Ioneer claims it will employ up to 500 workers during construction and 350 during operations. **More on lithium:** *[Colossal Cache of Lithium Found in US May Be World's Largest]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()