Published in the High Desert Advocate March 4, 2022 Edition
Nevada’s Division of Environmental Protection last week issued three permits for the Thacker Pass Lithium Mine in northern Humboldt County. NDEP officials said the permits were issued after extensive review which included public comment and “extensive engagement” with representatives of the Fort McDermitt Paiute and Shoshone Tribe leadership.
Tribal members for months have protested the use of land near Thacker Pass for the mine saying it is sacred land.
Three tribal organizations, including the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony, Winnemucca Indian Colony and “People of Red Mountain,” have filed a federal lawsuit against the Bureau of Land Management for what they say is failure to consult with the Tribes before approving the mine project spearheaded by Lithium Americas Corporation.
“The three permit approvals follow a rigorous and comprehensive permit application review and revision process, including a series of public meetings beginning in April 2021, review and response to hundreds of public comments, as well as extensive engagement with representatives of the Fort McDermitt Paiute and Shoshone Tribe leadership, community residents, and other Nevada stakeholders,” NDEP said.
Based on those reviews, NDEP officials said they believe the mine “can operate in a manner that protects public health and the environment, including air, land, and water quality.”
The three permits issued are:
Clean air permit, which requires testing, monitoring and reporting to ensure mine emissions meeting federal and state air quality standards, along with other requirements.
Water pollution control permit, which bans mining into the regional water table and requires investigation and monitoring of groundwater depth.
Mine reclamation permit, with requires Lithium Nevada to secure more than $47 million in financial assurance to restore the land back to productive use after the mine closes.
Operations of the mine will be overseen by NDEP officials as part of the permit requirements, which includes regular inspections at least quarterly, if not more often.
The Thacker Pass Lithium Mine is a proposed lithium clay mining development project in Humboldt County, Nevada which is the largest known lithium deposit in the US, and one of the largest in the world.
Thacker Pass received a Record of Decision in January 2021 from the US Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management (BLM).
Thacker Pass is situated at the southern end of the McDermitt Caldera, approximately 100 km northwest of Winnemucca, in Humboldt County, northern Nevada.
In 2018, Lithium Americas completed a pre-feasibility study (PFS) on a two-phase project with a production capacity designed to reach 60,000 tpa of battery- quality lithium carbonate (Li2CO3) and 46-year mine life. A feasibility study ( FS) for Phase 1 is expected in 2022.
The Project will be developed as an open-pit mining operation using conventional continuous mining equipment. Given the soft, clay nature of the deposit, minimal blasting and crushing is anticipated. The ore will then be processed in a leaching circuit using sulfuric acid to liberate the lithium from the claystone. Following the leaching process, the lithium bearing solution will be purified using crystallizers and reagents to produce battery- quality Li2CO3.The Project has been designed to avoid environmentally sensitive and rugged terrain. The flat and expansive terrain allows for a very compact footprint and allows for future potential expansions.
The Thacker Pass operation will include a co-located sulfuric acid plant that will convert molten sulfur into sulfuric acid. This process produces steam, which we will use to generate carbon-free power for the processing facilities. Co-locating a sulfuric acid plant reduces the number of trucks on the road, as each ton of sulfur can create three tons of sulfuric acid, and sulfur is much safer to transport.
Lithium Americas considers spinning off U.S. Operations
Canada-based miner Lithium Americas Corp (LAC.TO) said on Monday, February 28, 2022, it was exploring a separation of its U.S. and Argentinian operations by creating an independent public company focused on the Thacker Pass lithium project in Nevada.
The Thacker Pass project, approved by former U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration in January last year, could become the largest U.S. source of lithium – a metal that has surged in demand globally due to its use in electric vehicles.
But the project faces opposition in a federal court from some indigenous tribes who ask for the approval to be overturned. Lithium Americas said last week it expects the final court decision on the matter by September end. read more
The company’s main operations in Argentina are centered around the Caucharí-Olaroz lithium brine project that it jointly owns with China’s Ganfeng Lithium (002460.SZ). The operation is set to complete construction this year.
With both the assets progressing towards production, the company said it had begun studying the viability of a spinoff.
“While no final decision has been made, we believe a separation could enable each of our businesses to maximize and accelerate their strategic objectives, with dedicated focus and increased financial flexibility,” Chief Executive Officer Jonathan Evans said in a statement.
Lithium Americas Corp (LAC.TO) on Friday, February 25, 2022 said it expects a U.S. federal court to rule by the end of September on whether it can build the Thacker Pass lithium mining project in Nevada.
The court’s ruling had been expected early this year, but was delayed by the filing of additional documents. Opponents of the mine are asking the court to overturn former President Donald Trump’s approval of the mine.
The Vancouver-based company also said on Friday it has now received all necessary state permits.
