FACT BRIEFDoes Nevada have the nation’s only fully operating lithium mine?
YES
As of March 2023, Nevada’s Silver Peak mine is the only lithium mine operating in the U.S.
The site is located in Esmeralda County and has been mined for lithium since the 1960s.
Silver Peak produces 5,000 metric tons of usable lithium per year — 1% of the world total — and plans to double production by 2025.
The U.S., which has the fourth largest lithium reserves in the world, used to be the largest producer of lithium before corporations decided to move production overseas, where labor is cheaper and environmental regulations are more relaxed.
The three biggest lithium producers are currently Australia (52% of world total), Chile (25% of world total) and China (13% of world total).
Rising demand for lithium to manufacture electric vehicle batteries has caused the U.S. to pursue additional domestic production sites, including the Thacker Pass mine in Humboldt County, Nevada, which began construction earlier this month after gaining federal court approval over the objections of tribes and environmental groups.
This Fact Brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
Mesabi Tribune Silver Peak Mine the only source of lithium in U.S.
Resources, Conservation and Recycling The Rise and Fall of American Lithium
World Economic Forum This chart shows which countries produce the most lithium
US Geological Survey Lithium World Resources
PBS U.S. seeks new lithium sources as demand for clean energy grows
Grist Construction begins on Thacker Pass lithium mine in Nevada
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