Lithium Mining in the West

This is not posted to advocate either side of the issue, but posted for those who may be interested in an opportunity to watch the process unfold and the impacts. Bonnie Claire is a playa in the Death Valley area outside the National Park. It is noted because it also has moving rocks similar to the Racetrack. A mining company is beginning permitted lithium mining operations -

Bonnie Claire Lithium Project

Bonnie Claire playa is here - 37°10.047'N 117°9.654'W

The only current large scale lithium operation is in Nevada at Silver Peak. We visited the area several years ago to see it for ourselves. Silver Peak is here -

37°45.934'N 117°35.564'W

These are coordinates you can copy and paste into Google Earth.

Additional Information

Huntoon Valley is also subject to lithium mining ops

Huntoon Valley is also subject to lithium mining ops

A beautiful area so rich in ancient history.

Not sure if anyone else saw this lastnight: Clean energy source: Lithium in the Mojave Desert Video - ABC News (go.com)

Huntoon Valley is also subject to lithium mining ops

As are Dixie Valley and the Black Rock Desert -

Nickel Rock Resources Inc. – Black Rock Desert Lithium Project, Gerlach, Nevada

Nickel Rock Resources Inc. – Dixie Valley Lithium Project, Dixie Valley, Nevada

If we are going to be an industrialized society, then we need to be willing to accept that mining for minerals is a part of that.  I think we can all agree that it is not appropriate in many areas like National Parks, wilderness areas etc.  But beyond that, we can argue to the cats come home over where mining is acceptable and where it is not. 

I (begrudgingly) accept that hard rock mining (ie not for fossil fuels) is a necessity, and to some degree I would prefer they mine the richest deposits possible, so as to minimize the land that needs to be disturbed and energy required.  Hopefully what is mined ( lithium, aluminium etc) has a long useful lifetime and can be recycled several times over.   This to me is very different than mining coal, oil and gas, which we dig up, use precisely once (for a few seconds) then dump into the atmosphere.    I also appreciate that mining in first world countries is usually safer and more environmentally regulated than mining in second and third world countries.   

Not sure if anyone else saw this: Federal agency: Nevada flower near mine should be protected (yahoo.com)

If you want electric cars this is the price, cant have your cake and eat it too.

This video is about several of the populations of the unique buckwheat species threatened by the proposed lithium mine.

Edited by AWG_Pics, 04 June 2021 - 08:50 PM.