Lithium Series

As technology and the electric car market evolve, the demand for lithium is growing worldwide. The Silver Peak Mine in Nevada, United States, is North America's only active lithium mine.

Lithium is extracted from salty groundwater after moving through a series of evaporation ponds. As the water evaporates, some of the salts and minerals settle on the ground, and the lithium concentration gets higher. It can take up to two years from when the water is pumped into the evaporation ponds until the lithium carbonate is produced.

Silver Peak produces 5,000 metric tons of lithium carbonate per year, enough to power about 80,000 electric cars. By 2025, the facility intends to double its capacity to meet car manufacturers' growing demand for lithium.

New mining sites are also planned in the country. A major mine at Thacker Pass in Nevada is another area where hard rock lithium mining is possible and is likely to erect in 2023.