mining
Rhyolite Ridge (United States) (AFP) - Delicate pink buds sway in the desert breeze, pregnant with yellow pompoms whose explosion will carpet the dusty corner of Nevada that is the only place on Earth where they exist. Under their roots lie vast reserves of lithium, vital for the rechargeable electric car batteries that will reduce planet-heating pollution. But campaigners fear the extraction of the precious metal could destroy the flower's tiny habitat. "This mine is going to cause extinction," says Patrick Donnelly, an environmentalist who works at the Center for Biological Diversity, a non-...
AFP
Lincolnton (United States) (AFP) - When Kristal Lee and her husband bought a house in Gaston County, North Carolina two years ago, they envisioned a "forever home". But a planned lithium mine is bringing Lee sleepless nights. Nearby is an area earmarked for a $1.2 billion project to produce battery grade lithium for US electric vehicle (EV) supply chains -- one of only a few such sites in the country. "You get very anxious when you hear about it," she said of the project by Piedmont Lithium. "We don't really have an option of moving right now, especially with the economy and inflation." With P...
AFP
Washington (AFP) - The United States on Friday blocked oil, gas and mining operations across tracts of unspoiled wilderness in Alaska, winning praise from environmentalists for safeguarding habitat for polar bears, caribou and other Arctic species. More than 13 million acres (5.2 million hectares) will come under new federal protection, while a permit to build a major road to access mineral deposits was denied in moves that angered industry bodies and some locals. "Alaska's majestic and rugged lands and waters are among the most remarkable and healthy landscapes in the world," President Joe Bi...
AFP
Placerville (United States) (AFP) - Albert Fausel has been scouring the rivers of Placerville, California for decades in search of gold. But the task has never been easier, nor the haul bigger, thanks to recent torrential rains. "This year, there's a lot of new spots" to find gold, says Fausel, clad in a wetsuit and snorkel, standing up to his knees in water. Less than 10 minutes into a recent visit by AFP, Fausel -- diving with a small shovel to dig a crevice at the bottom of the riverbed -- resurfaces with proof. Among the mix of clay and sand emptied onto a plastic tray, unmistakable shiny ...
AFP
Washington (AFP) - US environmental authorities on Tuesday blocked a huge gold and copper mine project in Alaska's pristine salmon-rich Bristol Bay. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) move is a victory for environmental activists, the fishing industry and indigenous groups who had been fighting the Pebble mine for two decades. Citing the Clean Water Act, the EPA said it was blocking the project to "help protect Bristol Bay, the most productive wild salmon ecosystem in the world." "The Bristol Bay watershed is a vital economic driver, providing jobs, sustenance, and significant ecologica...
AFP
Washington (AFP) - US authorities on Thursday said they intend to re-establish environmental protections to a bay in Alaska that would block a controversial gold and copper mine project. The Bristol Bay watershed "is an Alaskan treasure that underscores the critical value of clean water in America," said Environmental Protection Agency chief Michael Regan. "What's at stake is preventing pollution that would disproportionately impact Alaska Natives, and protecting a sustainable future for the most productive salmon fishery in North America," he said. Bristol Bay is home to a vast wild salmon ru...
AFP
Sydney (AFP) - Anglo-Australian mining firm BHP said Thursday it had reached a deal to provide Tesla with supplies of nickel -- a metal vital in producing high-powered batteries for electric cars. Under the agreement, the innovative carmaker will lock in supplies from a mine in Western Australia, one of the world's largest sources. Most nickel today is used in the production of stainless steel. But demand for the metal is projected to explode over the next decade, as electric vehicles become more common. Mercurial Tesla CEO Elon Musk has previously voiced concern about future nickel shortages...
AFP
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