Special Collections:
Thacker Pass
In Nevada's Thacker Pass, Indigenous tribes are battling powerful entities over a massive lithium mine by Lithium Americas. Backed by the Biden administration and General Motors, this project, vital for electric vehicles, exposes the dark side of the "green energy" transition, prioritizing profit over sacred land and local communities.
The documentary, "Thacker Pass - Mining the Sacred," by award-winning journalist Brandi Morin and filmmaker Geordie Day, chronicles the Indigenous resisters putting their freedom on the line. It was co-produced by Ricochet Media, IndigiNews, and The Real News Network.
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As a Federal Court ruling nears on January 5th, opponents warn the Thacker Pass Lithium Mine in Nevada is already damaging sacred sites. Lithium Nevada Corporation has begun digging test pits and installing infrastructure where Native Americans conduct ceremonies. Tribes argue this violates permit agreements, contending new authorizations terminated older ones, with attorney Will Falk suggesting the company is "lying to get a headstart" with BLM's approval.
Thacker Pass, or Peehee Mu'huh, is a sacred site for regional tribes, used for ceremonies, gathering, and as a massacre site. Tribal leaders emphasize their responsibility to protect these places, asserting the mine violates religious freedoms and consultation rights. The January 5th hearing is the final oral argument in lawsuits. Support protection efforts: https://givebutter.com/protectthackerpass. Learn more: https://ProtectThackerPass.org.
Lithium Americas Corporation (LAC) is splitting into two entities: Lithium Americas, focusing on North American projects like Thacker Pass, and Lithium International, managing Cauchari-Olaroz in Argentina. This restructuring is reportedly aimed at limiting liability, accessing U.S. Department of Energy loans, and distancing the company from its Chinese connections and significant issues at the Argentine site.
The Cauchari-Olaroz project, 44.8% owned by LAC and 46.7% by China's Ganfeng Lithium, has been subject to allegations of human rights violations by The Washington Post and saw two worker deaths in October. Critics suggest LAC seeks to bypass Republican opposition and federal funding hurdles by separating from its China ties and the associated human rights and environmental concerns, which are seen as mirroring potential issues at Thacker Pass.
Links:
- Lithium Americas to split into two public companies
- This foreign company wants to mine massive amounts of lithium in Nevada. First, it must overcome its China problem.
- Tossed aside in the lithium rush
- Lithium Americas reports two contractor deaths at Cauchari-Olaroz project
On February 25, 2022, the NDEP issued air, water, and mining permits for the proposed Thacker Pass Lithium Mine Project.
A key condition of this decision prohibits mining below the water table.
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