Nevada Lithium Mining Project Sparks Environmental Debate

In a greenhouse in eastern Nevada, a botanist brushes pollen across endangered wildflowers to recreate natural pollination.

It is part of an ambitious experiment by a lithium mining company to prevent a rare desert plant from going extinct amidst a broader conflict pitting clean energy against native biodiversity. Australia-based Ioneer is behind this initiative, aiming to significantly boost U.S. lithium production to support the burgeoning electric vehicle industry and other clean energy projects.

The proposed mine in the Nevada desert could quadruple U.S. lithium output, a crucial component for batteries needed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. While environmentalists support efforts to combat climate change, they oppose the mine due to its proximity to the only known habitats of the endangered Tiehm’s buckwheat.

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management has tentatively endorsed Ioneer’s plan, which includes propagating and transplanting the buckwheat as part of a draft environmental impact statement, pending further review by the Fish and Wildlife Service.

Critics argue that mining will obliterate the plant’s natural habitat and that transplanting greenhouse-grown specimens is an unproven and potentially futile endeavor. They caution that it may take centuries to determine if the natural environment for the plant can be replicated.

“This latest plan for Rhyolite Ridge Mine is just greenwashing extinction,” said Patrick Donnelly, the Center for Biological Diversity’s Great Basin director.

He accused proponents of misleading the public about the environmental friendliness of the plan and promised legal challenges if the mine proceeds.

Ioneer has been exploring Rhyolite Ridge’s mineral deposits since 2016.

Arnold Tiehm, the plant’s namesake, initially suggested in 1994 that the site be designated a botanical area and off-limits to mining. However, it wasn’t until 2022 that conservationists secured endangered status and critical habitat designation for the buckwheat.

The Biden administration and its commitment to strengthening the national battery supply chain and reducing dependence on fossil fuels has supported similar projects. The proposed mine could produce enough lithium carbonate annually for 370,000 electric vehicle batteries over its 26-year lifespan.

Chad Yeftich, Ioneer’s Vice President, expressed confidence in their ability to balance lithium production with environmental protection, stating, “Ioneer is confident in our ability to quadruple the nation’s supply of lithium while protecting Tiehm’s buckwheat.”

About 25,000 Tiehm’s buckwheat plants exist in the wild on federal land near the proposed mine site, discovered in the mid-1980s. These plants bloom for a few weeks each year and resemble scrawny dandelions.

Ioneer botanist Florencia Peredo Ovalle cares for approximately 350 specimens in a greenhouse, manually pollinating them due to the absence of natural pollinators. Despite previous setbacks in propagation efforts, company officials remain optimistic, viewing their plan as the best chance for the buckwheat’s survival.

Unlike traditional mining operations, Ioneer plans to backfill mined areas and restore habitats as the project progresses. Bernard Rowe, Ioneer’s Managing Director, emphasized the unique horizontal seam of lithium at Rhyolite Ridge, allowing for such reclamation efforts.

The company has invested about $2 million in conservation plans and intends to spend $1 million annually to ensure the species’ long-term viability. They cite the successful transplantation of Robbins’ Cinquefoil in New Hampshire as a precedent, although critics argue it’s too early to declare that effort a success.

While supporting lithium mining in general, conservationists oppose projects in fragile ecosystems. University scientists recently opposed Ioneer’s project, arguing that it would devastate over one-fifth of the critical habitat.

Naomi Fraga, director of conservation for the California Botanic Garden, co-signed the petition to list the buckwheat as endangered. She highlighted the challenges of transplanting plants back into the wild and called for a significantly larger buffer zone around the critical habitat.

Rowe indicated that the mine’s footprint has been reduced, removing roads and infrastructure from critical habitat areas. “The only thing that we left was the one thing that we can’t move, and that’s the deposit itself,” he said.