Lithium companies fight over water in the arid great basin
Over the past few decades, the United States has imported most of its lithium from Chile and Argentina, but there’s one major domestic source of the mineral—Nevada. Clayton Valley, a remote basin in the nation’s driest state, is home to the Silver Peak mine, where lithium is extracted in gridded ponds that turn neon blue as they recover one of Earth’s lightest elements through solar evaporation. … Mining operators across the West have faced major barriers in the global race for lithium. Mines come with large footprints that can disrupt wildlife habitat, harm cultural sites and put pressures on communities. On top of all that is another major challenge posing a barrier for lithium projects in the western U.S. and Clayton Valley: Competition for limited water supplies.