Excerpt from Mondaq.com
With increasing emphasis on renewable energy, the mining industry is looking towards developing lithium reserves in the United States. Currently, a single operation near Silver Peak, Nev. is the only producing lithium mine in the United States. As governments mandate reduced vehicle emissions, exploration in this sphere is booming. But does America have the mineral reserves to keep pace with this renewable boom?
The answer, as always, is complicated. The majority of lithium on the market is mined in the “Lithium Triangle” in South America, encompassing parts of Chile, Argentina and Bolivia. Regulations and laws in those countries allow for less expensive development than in the United States, but often with environmental costs.