In January of this year, Jonathan Evans, president and CEO of Lithium Americas, announced that Thacker Pass, which is located in the caldera, is the largest lithium reserve in the world. The mine planned for that area, which has an 85-year life span, is slated to unfold over several phases, and while no lithium has been pulled from the earth there yet, construction on the mine is well underway. The only lithium mine currently in production in the U.S. is located in Nevada's Esmeralda County.
If you're unfamiliar with the acronym and its rigorous but rewarding demands, FIFO has been around for hundreds of years. Essentially, it refers to temporary employment in a remote location, with Australia long regarded as a key destination. The task is simple yet challenging - work long hours in an intense job in short bursts, earn big and hopefully return home the happier for it. But there are notable concerns surrounding physical and mental health. To put it plainly, FIFO is not for everyone.
High atop the Luossavaara Mountain in northern Sweden, Sami reindeer herder Lars-Marcus Kuhmunen mapped out a bleak future for himself and other Indigenous people whose reindeer have roamed this land for thousands of years. An expanding iron-ore mine and a deposit of rare-earth minerals are fragmenting the land and altering ancient reindeer migration routes. But with the Arctic warming four times faster than the rest of the planet, herders say they need more geographic flexibility, not less, to ensure the animals' survival.
The Kiruna Church and its belfry are being moved along a five-kilometre route east to a new city center as part of Kiruna's relocation due to mining threats.
Minacu, a small city in inland Brazil, is set to become the first operation outside Asia to produce four rare earths on a commercial scale. This marks a pivotal development amid escalating trade disputes between China and the US, particularly since China has historically dominated the production of these essential minerals.
'If approved as currently written, the provision could lease in perpetuity land near Minnesota's Boundary Waters wilderness, an enormous complex of pristine lakes and untrammeled forests, to Twin Metals Minnesota.'
Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced plans to designate the mineral-rich Ring of Fire as a special economic zone, aiming for swift development and consultation with First Nations.
Carla Antonella Rodriguez fought against societal norms for her right to work in the coal mine, ultimately impacting women’s roles in the workforce after 80 years.
Ontario is moving forward with legislation to accelerate mining development, significantly reducing environmental assessments which has raised concerns among First Nations regarding consent.