Lithium, cobalt, phosphorous, nickel, antimony, copper, and rare earth elements. To a lesser extent iron, aluminum, graphite, manganese, gold, silicon, and gallium. Everything we need in haste and abundance for batteries, drivetrains, solar panels, and on-board electronics in electric vehicles (EV). The surge is being driven by demand, the global automobile industry, and global governments.
As a result mining operations are gearing up across the American West. Some are new projects, some old with links to decades of environmental degradation that inevitably leave the cost of cleanup to taxpayers. The criminal charges against Rise Gold’s Ben Mossman is an example. Some are being challenged by enviros and/or tribal governments, but most are being fast tracked by the current administration.
Bruce Herring, Nevada County
