Lithium Mining Company Gets $700M Government Loan but Cited for Trespassing on Critical Habitat of Endangered Buckwheat Located in Nevada Mine Itself

Federal land managers issued a citation to the Australian mining company for trespassing inside the vital habitat of an endangered buckwheat species five days after the US Energy Department announced a $700 million conditional loan to it for a lithium project in Nevada.

Designated Critical Habitat vs. Drilling Permit

In a trespass notice issued to Ioneer Rhyolite Ridge LLC on Wednesday, the Bureau of Land Management stated that it had confirmed that land had been disturbed within the designated critical habitat for Tiehm's buckwheat, a 6-inch-tall desert wildflower that bears yellow blooms.

According to the agency, the disturbance was forbidden by the terms of a permit it granted Ioneer in November to drill for underground specimens at the proposed mine site, which is still facing environmental.

According to the Bureau of Land Management, any land disturbance must take place outside of areas designated as critical habitats for the plant that the Fish and Wildlife Service listed as endangered just a month ago. The mine aims to increase domestic production of a necessary component used in the production of batteries for electric vehicles.

Ioneer said no plants were disturbed, but they acknowledged that what occurred was a violation of BLM regulatory requirements.

Truck, Water Tanks, Storage, and Cattle

Mining poses the single biggest threat to the plant's survival, according to the US Fish and Wildlife Service, which listed it and designated 910 acres as critical habitat because it was in danger of going extinct. Ioneer had hoped to start mining there by 2026.

On December 26, Donnelly found the drilling staging area at Rhyolite Ridge with a truck, water tanks, materials, and explosive storage. He recorded cattle on the same day that he claimed were trespassing in the critical habitat. To compel the removal of the livestock, the group gave the Bureau of Land Management a 60-day notice of intent to sue on January 9. Ioneer had 14 days to respond or provide proof disputing the drilling-related infraction, it stated on Wednesday.

Domestic Production of Lithium

Lithium is a soft, silvery metal that has the lowest density of all metals. It also reacts with water in a very strong way.

Rechargeable batteries for cell phones, laptops, digital cameras, and electric vehicles are the most significant applications of lithium. Some non-rechargeable batteries for devices like heart pacemakers, toys, and clocks also contain lithium.

The majority of lithium is currently made in Chile using brines that, when combined with sodium carbonate, produce lithium carbonate. By electrolyzing molten lithium and potassium chlorides, the metal is created, Royal Society of Chemistry reports.

According to the Energy Department, the facility could produce enough lithium over a long period to support the annual production of about 370,000 electric vehicles. As a centerpiece of its clean energy agenda, the Biden administration's plan for 500,000 electric vehicle charging stations aims to hasten the switch from fossil fuels to renewable sources.

Jigar Shah, the Department of Energy's loan office director, said Friday that the planned mine by Ioneer would significantly increase domestic production of lithium for clean energy applications.

But since the mining company still needs to fulfill the requirements, it is evident that the department is not yet investing any money in the project, The Associated Press reports.