Biden Administration Approves Lithium Mine in Race to Add Supply

Ioneer’s Rhyolite Ridge gains key permit, but legal and political risks loom - MINING.COM

Some who follow LAC and Thacker Pass might take offense at the following from another article on Ioneer: 

"Following six years of regulatory scrutiny, Rhyolite Ridge is the first lithium mine approved under the Biden administration. It reflects Washington’s push to secure domestic sources of critical minerals" 

 What about Thacker Pass???

 One little problem, a fly in the ointment if you will:

Nevada lithium-boron mine clears environmental hurdles, but lawsuit planned

The CBD again steps on a White Horse and gives a mighty "Hi Ho Silver" call loudly into the air as its mighty army of litigation gallups forward to attack the Australian threat to the tiny and defenseless Tiehms Buckwheat Flower.  50 plus legal beagles stride forth to slay Ioneer and show them how the environmental movement will make Ioneer make a quick exit and drag its tail back to Australia, or so that is the plan.  Of course, LAC investors know full well how extensive that fight can be in order for any mining company to successfully bring a new mine into production here in the U.S. where Tiehms Buckwheat supercedes any possible motive for the U.S even thinking about becoming independent from a Chinese near monopoly when it comes to processing of strategic minerals such as Lithium.  Ioneer says it will start construction in 2025 and complete it in 2028.  

The "good thing" about that claim from Ioneer is that it should spur Jon Evans and LAC to action and maybe this time they will stick with the expected day estimated to signal the start of production sometime in late 2027 instead of kicking the can down the rode once again, just in case Ioneer is able to run the environmental activist gauntlet successfully and stick to their projected start of production in 2028.  Thacker pass has lots of lead time on Ioneer and the 39 other wannabees down at Clayton Valley, Nevada, but if Jon Evans and the BoD from LAC don't take this threat seriously then they may well lose the poll position that they now entertain for becoming the first new lithium mine in Nevada to start in production after the only one now in production at Silver Peak Mine owned by Albermarle.

Not everyone is on the "Home Team" when it comes to the cheerleaders waving the Pom Poms of Environmental Activism, but that being said they still have a mighty army of litigious lawyers willing to take on any real or perceived threat to the environmental agenda, especially when it comes to mining in the U.S. 

A Ratty Conversation with the Center for Biological Diversity | American Council on Science and Health

On the other hand, if you are of the persuasion to help out the CBD directly you can always donate to them or to a sister organization, separate but unified in spirit if not design:

About the Center for Biological Diversity Action Fund - Center Action Fund

"The Center for Biological Diversity Action Fund supports the mission of the Center for Biological Diversity, but the two organizations are separate, and the names of each organization are not interchangeable."

OK, the bottom line is that Ioneer is talking a big game and right now they are going to be the darling of the "journalists" who author stories about how Ioneer is the new kid on the block racing ahead to become a production lithium and boron mine in Nevada in what hopefully is a race whereby LAC and Thacker Pass are favored to cross the finish line first, unless LAC management falls asleep at the wheel.

I believe that CBD is not the only fly in the ointment for Ioneer and its Rhyolite Ridge Project.  It is probably the best known member of the army of environmental activists that will do everything in their power to not only delay Ioneer, but to prevent it from ever mining any lithium or boron at Rhyolite Ridge.

It is quite possible that LAC's advanced position in the race here in Nevada is probably secure since LAC has already been through the maze of legal challenges and onslaught of "environmental activists" to a large measure of success.  However, LAC and Jon Evans needs to maintain "ever vigilence" and never take for granted past success against this type of obstacle.  You never know when CBD may again turn its focus back on Thacker Pass or when some other group with a common purpose will attack the progress towards construction and production that LAC has made.

USA, the worst country in the world to try and bring a new mine from the drawing board to the completion stage.  Anyone must be nuts to even try, but LAC is almost there.

Okiedo