America’s lithium boom is underway with 72 proposed mines in the nation, but a new report has revealed that the ‘white gold rush’ could cause a water crisis in the US.

A team of students at Arizona University conducted a ‘groundbreaking’ investigation that found a majority of the operators plan to pull water from already stressed sources like the Colorado River.

Most of the mines, located in the western region, will need billions of gallons of water to operate at a time when the region is experiencing the worst mega-drought in 1,200 years.

The only mine in operation, Silver Peak, has drained four billion gallons of water a year in Nevada since 2020 and scientists determined ‘underground water sources are dwindling and even disappearing altogether.’

Over on the east coast in North Carolina is another proposed lithium mine that the students found could cause residential wells to run dry.

However, companies have a free-for-all when it comes to water usage as the federal law for mining was created a few years after the Civil War and does not have limits on levels.

America's lithium boom is underway with 72 proposed mines in the nation, but a new report has revealed that the 'white gold rush' could cause a water crisis in the U

America's lithium boom is underway with 72 proposed mines in the nation, but a new report has revealed that the 'white gold rush' could cause a water crisis in the U

America’s lithium boom is underway with 72 proposed mines in the nation, but a new report has revealed that the ‘white gold rush’ could cause a water crisis in the U

America has about eight million metric tons of lithium in its land, which means the US industry is worth about $232 billion.

However, the nation only makes up about one percent of the global lithium production. 

The students, who are studying investigative journalism at the Howard Center, sifted through tens of thousands of pages of state and federal environmental impact statements and mining operation reports filed by companies through the end of December 2023.

One of the key findings of the investigation was the lack of federal laws for mining, specifically how much can be drained from America’s supply.

The Mining Law of 1872 is the only rule in place, which declared all valuable mineral deposits in land belonging to the United States to be free and open to exploration and purchase.

A team of students at Arizona University conducted a 'groundbreaking' investigation, finding a majority of the operators plan to pull water from already stressed sources like the Colorado River (pictured)

A team of students at Arizona University conducted a 'groundbreaking' investigation, finding a majority of the operators plan to pull water from already stressed sources like the Colorado River (pictured)

A team of students at Arizona University conducted a ‘groundbreaking’ investigation, finding a majority of the operators plan to pull water from already stressed sources like the Colorado River (pictured)

Albemarle is set to to revive the Kings Mountain mine in North Carolina that could contain five million tons when it starts operations by 2030, by the students found it could cause residential wells to run dry.

Albemarle is set to to revive the Kings Mountain mine in North Carolina that could contain five million tons when it starts operations by 2030, by the students found it could cause residential wells to run dry.

Albemarle is set to to revive the Kings Mountain mine in North Carolina that could contain five million tons when it starts operations by 2030, by the students found it could cause residential wells to run dry.

Provisions have only been changed to add the 1976 Federal Land Policy Management Act, which provides guidelines ‘to provide for the management, protection, development, and enhancement of the public lands.’

That addiction went into effect in January 1981 and no changes have been made to the Mining Law since.

Patrick Donnelly, a conservation biologist for the nonprofit Center for Biological Diversity, told the Howard Center that if all of the 72 proposed mines are constructed under the current rules, ‘it would be a fundamental transformation of the American West.’

‘People compare it to the Gold Rush, but the Gold Rush was pretty small scale, compared to what all this lithium’s looking like,’ Donnelly continued.

The students investigated proposed mines in Arkansas, finding companies want to also use mineral-heavy water from drier regions of the southern state.

The site is set for a small town called Magnolia that is home to just 11,100 people.

Exxon Mobil is planning to build one of the world’s largest lithium processing facilities near the town, with a capacity to produce 75,000 to 100,000 metric tons of lithium a year, which would be 15 percent of the world’s lithium production.

The students investigated proposed mines in Arkansas, finding companies want to also use mineral-heavy water from drier regions of the southern state

The students investigated proposed mines in Arkansas, finding companies want to also use mineral-heavy water from drier regions of the southern state

The students investigated proposed mines in Arkansas, finding companies want to also use mineral-heavy water from drier regions of the southern state

The site is set for a small town called Magnolia that is home to just 11,100 people

The site is set for a small town called Magnolia that is home to just 11,100 people

The site is set for a small town called Magnolia that is home to just 11,100 people

Approximately 40 of the 72 mines are set for Nevada, America’s driest state, and 80 percent of them would sit on water supplies deemed at risk of low water levels, according to the Howard Center’s analysis.

While the mines are not yet in operation, Silver Peak has been producing lithium since the 1960s.

Owned by US-based Albemarle, the mine churns out about 5,000 tons of lithium a year, which is enough to make batteries for 80,000 electric vehicles.

Albemarle is set to to revive the Kings Mountain mine in North Carolina that could contain five million tons when it starts operations by 2030.

However, residents of the small town are concerned about their personal water supply that comes from underground wells.

The Central Nevada Regional Water Authority has found problems with mining practices at Silver Peak.

The local government branch reported uncovered water levels near the mining site decreased between 2022 and 2023 ‘due exclusively to de-watering throughout Clayton Valley for Lithium Mining purposes.’

Kings Mountain was one of the world's largest lithium producers from 1938 to 1988. The mine has received $90 million form the government to re-open by 2030

Kings Mountain was one of the world's largest lithium producers from 1938 to 1988. The mine has received $90 million form the government to re-open by 2030

Kings Mountain was one of the world’s largest lithium producers from 1938 to 1988. The mine has received $90 million form the government to re-open by 2030

Silver Peak’s site operations manager, Scott Thibodeaux, told the students: ‘I’m not familiar with the particulars. Perhaps someone within the organization is. I am not myself.’

The Howard Center report noted that Thibodeaux oversees operations, including water consumption.

DailyMail.com has contacted Thibodeaux for comment.

Albemarle spokesperson Allison Eckley issued a statement after speaking with the students regarding Silver Peak’s impact on the water supply, which says: ‘Albemarle operations do not impact the freshwater aquifers in the area.’

Nyle Pennington, a veteran water scientist who tracks groundwater for local governments, told the Howard Center team that he has data to back up that Albermarle does do so, and that it is the quantity rather than the quality of water that is being disrupted.

Central Nevada Regional Water Authority Executive Director Jeff Fontaine also noted that overuse of water in the basin can cause ‘permanent’ damage underground and ‘a combination of things that happens that would prevent that aquifer from ever really restoring itself.’

The Howard Center team analyzed state water data, finding projections that show water the mine could increase drainage by up to 6.5 billion gallons, which Eckley told the students was part of the company’s plan.

The only mine in operation, Silver Peak, has drained four billion gallons of water a year in Nevada since 2020 and scientists determined 'underground water sources are dwindling and even disappearing altogether'

The only mine in operation, Silver Peak, has drained four billion gallons of water a year in Nevada since 2020 and scientists determined 'underground water sources are dwindling and even disappearing altogether'

The only mine in operation, Silver Peak, has drained four billion gallons of water a year in Nevada since 2020 and scientists determined ‘underground water sources are dwindling and even disappearing altogether’

Albermarle disclosed to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission that that amount would be at or above the amount the basin naturally produces each year.

‘I think the alarm bells have been rung,’ said Fontaine. ‘I think there are a lot of people concerned about what’s happening in Clayton Valley, but I don’t know that there’s agreement on what needs to be done.’

On top of a potential water crisis, the team found that only 17 of the mines are owned by US-based companies – meaning the rest were bought by foreign entities.

Approximately 28 of the 40 sites in Nevada are owned by companies outside of the US, the Howard Center analysis uncovered.

Esmeralda County Commissioner De Winsor, a Republican, said: ‘These mining companies, they come in and they don’t belong to the area.

‘They’re from Australia or they’re from Canada or they’re from some other country and they don’t give a damn about the communities or the water sources.

Canada-based Lithium Americas is seeking a record $1 billion low-interest loan from the Department of Energy to fund construction for lithium extraction from U.S. public lands in Nevada.

The company is working with General Motors to source lithium for electric car batteries, but the students noted that ‘nothing would stop General Motors from taking the American-made batteries and shipping them south of the border, where they could create or keep jobs at General Motors’ electric vehicle production facility in Mexico.’

GM said in an email to the Howard Center the company does plan to use the lithium it obtains from Lithium Americas outside of the U.S. as part of a ‘broader strategy we have to establish a North America-based supply chain for raw and processed material for EV batteries and other EV components like permanent magnets and motors.’

This post first appeared on Dailymail.co.uk

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