Thacker Pass lithium deposit

The Thacker Pass lithium deposit, previously called the Kings Valley lithium deposit, is a lithium clay mining development project located in Humboldt County, Nevada.[2][3] The project is located 21 miles (34 km) west-northwest of Orovada, Nevada within the McDermitt Caldera,[4][5] and overlaps with 2866 acres of big sagebrush habitat, as well as known golden eagle breeding sites.[6]

Thacker Pass Lithium Project
Location
Thacker Pass lithium
Nevada
CountryUnited States
Coordinates41°42′30″N 118°03′43″W[1]
Production
ProductsLithium
History
Openednot yet operational
Owner
CompanyLithium Americas Corp.
WebsiteThacker Pass website

The Thacker Pass lithium project has Proven and Probable Reserves of 179 million tonnes of lithium ore grading 0.33% lithium, being 3.14 million tonnes of Lithium Carbonate Equivalent (LCE).[7][8] As of 2017, the Thacker Pass hectorite deposit was the most significant lithium-clay resource discovered in the U.S.[4] Unlike more conventional brine mining, hectorite clay requires sulfuric acid treatment to separate lithium salts from associated minerals.

In August 2019 Lithium Americas lodged a Plan of Operations for its proposed mining project with the Bureau of Land Management, the federal mining regulator.[9] In January 2020 the company announced the publication of a Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Thacker Pass lithium project.[10]

On January 15, 2021, BLM issued their Record of Decision[11] in which the plan set forth in the Environmental Impact Statement was approved following public input. Protestors began occupying the site on the same day.[12]


References
  1. Final Environmental Assessment DOI-BLM-NV-W010-2013-0046-EA Western Lithium Corporation Kings Valley Clay Mine (Report). March 2014. Retrieved January 13, 2019.
  2. "Kings Valley". United States Geological Survey.
  3. "Global lithium resources" (PDF). uchile.cl. 2012. Retrieved 2013-07-02.
  4. Bradley, Dwight C.; Stillings, Lisa L.; Jaskula, Brian W.; Munk, LeeAnn; McCauley, Andrew D. (2017). Lithium, Chapter K of Critical Mineral Resources of the United States—Economic and Environmental Geology and Prospects for Future Supply (PDF) (Report). United States Geological Survey.
  5. "Public Input Sought for Clay Mine". Reno Gazette-Journal. January 2, 2014.
  6. https://eplanning.blm.gov/public_projects/1503166/200352542/20030633/250036832/Thacker%20Pass_FEIS_Chapters1-6_508.pdf
  7. Fourie, Louis F.; Peldiak, Daniel (1 May 2018). "Independent Technical Report for the Thacker Pass Project, Humboldt County, Nevada, USA". U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Burnaby, BC: Advisian. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  8. Ehsani, Reza; Fourie, Louis; Hutson, Andrew; Peldiak, Daniel; Spiering, Rob (1 August 2018). "Technical Report on the PreFeasibility Study for the Thacker Pass Project, Humboldt County, Nevada, USA" (pdf). Lithium Americas. Burnaby, BC: Advisian. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  9. Cook, Michelle (10 October 2019). "$1.3 billion lithium mining project takes shape in rural Northern Nevada". The Humboldt Sun. Winnemucca, NV. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
  10. Cook, Michelle (31 January 2020). "$1.3 billion Lithium Nevada project on track for 2020 milestones". Nevada News Group. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
  11. https://www.blm.gov/press-release/humboldt-river-field-office-issues-record-decision-thacker-pass-lithium-mine
  12. https://www.protectthackerpass.org/join-the-blockade/
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