LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Silver Peak, the only U.S. lithium mine currently in production, got federal approval to expand, according to a Friday news release.
The mine, about 215 miles northwest of Las Vegas in sparsely populated Esmeralda County, has been operating since 1965. It is operated by Albemarle Corporation.
The expansion allows for use of new technologies expected to increase lithium recovery by up to 100% from the same amount of raw materials, according to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) news release.
The Silver Peak mine won authorization to expand to 8,058 acres, including 1,601 acres on public land. Demand for lithium has skyrocketed in recent years as the mineral became a key component in batteries for electric vehicles. New mines have been approved, but they are years from producing lithium…