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Ecologists sue over United States approval of ioneer's Nevada lithium mine

Environmental and Native groups on Thursday filed a lawsuit challenging the U.S. Interior Department's approval of ioneer's Rhyolite Ridge lithium mine in Nevada, the very first domestic source of the battery metal to be allowed by Democratic President Joe Biden's. administration. In a suit filed in federal court in Las Vegas, groups. consisting of the Center for Biological Diversity argued the task. posed an existential threat to the unusual wildflower Tiehm's. buckwheat and might drive it to termination.

They stated the mine would likewise adversely effect groundwater,. springs, wetlands, air quality, cultural resources and wildlife. habitats, and would transform a remote part of rural Nevada into. a commercial complex. The groups said the Interior Department's Bureau of Land. Management (BLM) authorized the mine without ensuring that it. would not jeopardize the wildflower or unduly effect the. environment in infraction of the National Environmental Policy. Act, the Federal Lands Policy and Management Act, and the. Endangered Species Act.

The Interior Department decreased to comment.

Australia-based ioneer stated it does not expect the claim. to meaningfully impact our proposed development timeline and. that it believes the job can be established sustainably.

We are positive that the BLM will prevail versus this. claim, said Chad Yeftich, ioneer's vice president of. corporate advancement and external affairs. We intend to. intervene and intensely safeguard the BLM's decision, which was. based upon its cautious and extensive allowing procedure.. The crucial minerals miner received approval for the mine last. week following a more-than six-year review process during which. regulators, ioneer and conservationists tussled over the fate of. Tiehm's buckwheat. The license cleared the method for development of a mine that will. end up being a crucial supplier to Ford Motor and other. electric-vehicle makers. It was released amidst a flurry of. current moves by Biden administration officials to support. important minerals production and offset China's market. supremacy. The permit likewise unlocked a $700 million loan from the U.S. Department of Energy, in addition to a $490 million equity. investment from Sibanye Stillwater to fund the task.

The Interior Department stated when it approved the mine that. it had taken many steps to safeguard the environment near the. mine site, approximately 225 miles (362 km) north of Las Vegas.

The project contains enough lithium to power roughly 370,000. EVs each year. Building is slated to begin next year, with. production commencing by 2028.

(source: Reuters)