The U.S. Interior Department has approved ioneer’s Rhyolite Ridge lithium mine in Nevada, the first lithium project to be permitted under President Joe Biden’s administration. The mine, operated by Australia-based ioneer (INR.AX), will supply lithium for EV batteries to manufacturers, including Ford Motor Co., in a bid to reduce reliance on foreign minerals.
“This is a science-based decision,” said Laura Daniel-Davis, the Interior Department’s acting deputy secretary, underscoring the administration’s focus on climate change efforts. The project has been under review for over six years, during which ioneer worked with conservationists and regulators to address concerns about the endangered Tiehm’s buckwheat flower native to the site.
In addition to unlocking a $700 million loan from the U.S. Department of Energy and $490 million from Sibanye Stillwater, the mine is expected to create hundreds of jobs and produce lithium sufficient to power about 370,000 EVs per year by 2028.
“We’re proud to be the first U.S. lithium mine permitted by the Biden administration,” said James Calaway, chairman of ioneer, signaling the mine’s critical role in bolstering domestic EV supply chains.
Despite the project’s importance, conservationists, including the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD), have voiced opposition. “By greenlighting this mine, the Bureau of Land Management is abandoning its duty to protect endangered species like Tiehm’s buckwheat,” said CBD’s Patrick Donnelly, who indicated plans to file a lawsuit against the federal government. The Interior Department maintained that the project has integrated “significant protections for the local ecosystem” and is committed to transparency, with officials highlighting new design changes to safeguard the endangered plant species.
