Lithium Americas Corp. Begins Construction at Thacker Pass to Boost Domestic Lithium Supply Chain

Lithium Americas Corp. has initiated construction at its Thacker Pass lithium project in Humboldt County, Nevada. The project is aimed at producing 80,000 tonnes per year of battery-grade lithium carbonate, divided into two phases of 40,000 tpa each. The first phase is scheduled to start production in the latter half of 2026, and the project is projected to generate 1,000 employment opportunities during construction and 500 positions during operation.

Construction at Thacker Pass commenced following a favorable ruling from the US District Court, District of Nevada, for the issuance of the Record of Decision (ROD), where The Federal Court confirmed that the permitting process for Thacker Pass was conducted thoroughly and responsibly and chose not to vacate the ROD. However, the court did order the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to consider one issue related to the mining law concerning the area designated for waste storage and tailings.

The project has awarded contracts for major earthworks and for the engineering, procurement, and construction management of Phase 1. The company has also awarded contracts for the construction of the lithium carbonate and purification chemical plants and the sulfuric acid plant. Engineering and equipment for a state-of-the-art MECS® Heat Recovery System, which harnesses waste heat to generate steam that is subsequently converted into carbon-free electricity for the processing plant, have also been awarded.

The Thacker Pass project is a significant step towards playing a major role in the domestic lithium supply chain for electric vehicles, which is vital for the transition to cleaner energy. The company is working closely with the Bureau of Land Management to complete the required follow-up and does not expect it to impact the overall construction timeline.

Courtesy : https://www.environmentalleader.com