Judge upholds BLM approval of Rhyolite Ridge lithium mine - ICT

This story was originally published by Nevada Current. Jeniffer SolisNevada Current A federal judge upheld the approval of a massive open-pit lithium-boron mine on public lands in Southern Nevada, dealing a final blow to legal challenges by conservation groups that say the mine would threaten the survival of an endangered wildflower and fish endemic to Nevada. On March 30, U.S. District Judge Cristina Silva ruled the Interior Department took a sufficiently “hard look” at the impacts of the mine on Tiehm’s buckwheat and Fish Lake Valley tui chub and “reasonably found” that the project would “not result in unnecessary or undue degradation of Tiehm’s buckwheat.” The judge said federal regulators also “sufficiently analyzed and ensured the effectiveness of mitigation measures” developed by Australia-based Ioneer to protect the wildflower as part of their mining plan. Tiehm’s buckwheat grows on just 10 acres of lithium-boron rich soil near the Silver Peak Range in Esmeralda County. Once constructed, the mine would directly disturb about 191 acres of the wildflower’s federally protected critical habitat. The lawsuit — filed by the Center for Biological Diversity, Western Shoshone Defense Project, and the Great Basin Resource Watch — claimed the federal government failed to ensure the mine would not jeopardize the survival of the Tiehm’s buckwheat or adversely affect its critical habitat during the environmental review process. Patrick Donnelly, the Great Basin director at the Center for Biological Diversity, said he was “deeply disappointed” by the ruling and argued the mitigation plans proposed by Ioneer as part of their mining plan were “nothing but a house of cards that won’t save this important wildflower.” Support Indigenous Journalism Stories like this one don't happen without your support. ICT is Native-led, nonprofit, and free to read. We depend on readers like you to keep our journalism independent and our coverage strong. Donate Now → Secure giving  ·  501(c)(3) nonprofit “Independent scientists have said clearly that Rhyolite Ridge threatens Tiehm’s buckwheat with extinction,” Donnelly said in a statement. “This ruling ignores the best available science and puts biodiversity and sacred Indigenous lands at risk from corporate greed. We’re exploring our next steps but we’re more determined than ever to continue fighting to save Tiehm’s buckwheat.” In a statement, Ioneer’s Vice President of Corporate Development and External Affairs Chad Yeftich said he was “pleased” with the district court judge’s decision to reject the legal challenge against Ioneer’s mining plan. Yeftich said Ioneer has worked with federal regulators and tribal representatives to “responsibly develop” the Rhyolite Ridge Lithium-Boron Project in Nevada’s Silver Peak Range, which he said would “create hundreds of new American jobs, reduce reliance on foreign materials and processing, and provide a domestic source of two critical minerals.” “This favorable outcome is a significant milestone and allows us to continue advancing our work in delivering lithium and boron for the United States,” Yeftich said. “We look forward to completing our strategic partnering process and beginning construction.” The Interior Department declined to comment. In October 2024, Ioneer received the final federal permit for the project from the Bureau of Land Management, concluding the formal federal permitting process which began in early 2020.  However, the project has been delayed twice amid legal challenges and the loss of a major financial backer last year after the price of lithium crashed due to softer electric vehicle demand and an oversupply of the battery metal globally. Pioneer launched an effort to find a new financial partner soon after to fund its nearly $1.67 billion capital costs. Earlier this month, the developer said it was in “active discussions with a number of parties.” The project does have hefty financial backing from the federal government. In January, the U.S. Department of Energy finalized a $996 million loan guarantee to support the development of Ioneer’s on-site processing facility, one of the largest federal commitments to domestic critical mineral production. Related