Nevada
Not just Nevada — lithium is draining water across the world, study reveals
As Nevada gears up for the next few years of its lithium boom, a new study is calling attention to what’s most at stake — water.
Lithium, used in electric vehicle batteries, is considered a critical mineral for the transition away from fossil fuels to more green sources of energy. Only one lithium mine is fully operational in the country, in the Silver Peak mountain range of Nevada’s Esmeralda County.
But that could change fast, as dozens of lithium mines are proposed throughout the state and a few make their way through strict, decadelong federal permitting processes.
Published this month, the study’s authors put Nevada’s lithium conundrum into a broader, international context, offering a deeper look into water that’s been used up in other countries and what the U.S. could stand to lose.
Environmentalists, scientists and lawmakers have all asked the question for years: How can Nevada minimize harm to its most precious resource?
“Tremendous quantities of water — as I call it — are being pumped and dumped,” said Kate Berry, a University of Nevada, Reno geography professor who worked on the study. “Nevada is known by Nevadans as a mining state, but I’m not sure everybody knows what the implications are.”
Open-pit, brine evaporation or DLE?
There are three known ways to extract lithium from the ground: open-pit mining, lithium brine evaporation and direct lithium extraction, or DLE.
Open-pit mining, which involves drilling large holes and the production of waste, leads to the most environmental harm and conflicts that have led to the killings of activists around the world, the authors wrote.
Lithium brine evaporation is the method where salty liquid is pumped from the ground. There’s no clear scientific consensus about how this technique interacts with groundwater, but brine is not renewable and takes millions of years to form.
DLE takes away the need for evaporation ponds. It’s an umbrella term for a suite of approaches that’s only been used in Argentina so far and does still use freshwater, sometimes more than lithium brine evaporation.
While three of the authors interviewed don’t see any method emerge as the most sustainable in every context, Nevada lawmakers have floated DLE as a potential path forward to use the least amount of water. Holding the title of the driest state in the nation has prompted concern about intense groundwater depletion in some rural counties.
“What might be a sustainable use of water in one location would very much not be in another,” said UNR doctoral student and study co-author Noel Vineyard, adding that regions studied see impacts from numerous mines that extract different minerals. “Ignoring that is how we end up with over-appropriated groundwater basins in Nevada.”
One open-pit case study explored in the paper is Albemarle’s contentious Thacker Pass mine near the Nevada-Oregon border, highlighting its expected use of 1.6 billion gallons of groundwater ever year over the mine’s anticipated 41-year life.
Though it got a green light in the end and is being constructed, the mine became a tribal issue, proposed on the site of an 1865 massacre with many worried about groundwater contamination.
In the study, lithium production is shown as an issue of environmental justice, which focuses on how the environmental burden of mining is distributed unequally to underserved people.
David Kreamer, a UNLV hydrology professor who wasn’t involved in the study, said he sees lithium as a parallel to uranium mining, where extractive mining has clashed with cultural sites and environmental resources.
He agrees that lithium production is an emerging issue for so-called frontline and fenceline communities.
“The U.S. has a history of polluting the poor,” Kreamer said. “Environmental justice is a really important aspect of how we go forward as a nation.”
Contact Alan at ahalaly@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlanHalaly on X.
RENO, Nev. (KOLO) – The Wolf Pack are headed on a road trip! A whole group of Nevada coaches, student athletes and staff are hitting the road across Northern Nevada to spread the brand of Wolf Pack athletics.
The trip will span over three days and over a thousand miles across the region, giving them the chance to connect with fans, alumni, and all the communities across Northern Nevada.
“It’s a really fun opportunity to get out in a lot of communities in Northern Nevada that often times come to Reno to support the Wolf Pack,” said head football coach Jeff Choate. “It’s an opportunity for us to get our brand out locally and just interact with some great people.”
The Coaches Caravan kicked off their journey Monday morning in Carson City, gathering at the Nevada State Capitol, greeted by a group of Wolf Pack faithful who were beyond excited to have the opportunity for interaction.
“So much about what college athletics is are bringing communities together. There’s nothing that brings a community together like sports,” said athletic director Stephanie Rempe. “It lets them get to know our coaches and athletes and the things that they’re trying to do to represent the university and the state of Nevada. Getting to know them and meet them makes you care that much more and makes them want to come support and cheer on the Pack!”
The Coaches Caravan continues through Northern Nevada until their final stop on Wednesday afternoon, meeting with thirteen communities around the region in total.
Copyright 2026 KOLO. All rights reserved.
The Las Vegas Raiders have orchestrated many groundbreaking moves this offseason, but none as important as the impact they made at a fundraising event.
Over the weekend, the Raiders hosted the Silver & Black Gala, raising $2.5 million for mental health in Nevada. Sunday marked the third time the organization had hosted the event, which has produced a tremendous turnout.
Several individuals spoke during the event, including Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis and president Sandra Douglass Morgan, who each highlighted the importance of acknowledging mental health.
Davis’ Thoughts
- “We’re here to raise money for mental health, which is one of the most important things we can all deal with,” Davis said. “Every one of us is impacted by mental health and our families, friends, or anywhere else, we are all directly affected. That’s why it’s so critical to raise money for our community. We’re grateful for you all, and appreciate you being here.”
Morgan’s Thoughts
“Mental health remains one of the most urgent issues across Nevada,” Morgan said. “Through the Silver & Black Gala, the Raiders Foundation is helping expand access to trusted, community-based resources that meet people where they are. This year’s recipients reflect the depth and complexity of that work, supporting our community in schools, clubhouses, homes, shelters, and family systems statewide.”
The Raiders also honored former player Carl Nassib and NFL broadcaster Jay Glazer on Sunday night as the winners of the Commitment to Excellence award. Here is what each of them had to say.
Glazer’s Thoughts
- “First, this is incredible what the Raiders are doing,” Glazer said. “God blessed me with the ability to communicate, so I’m going to use that to try and help other people. When we’re willing to share our scars, we turn them into strength—into something that connects us as teammates with nothing to hide. That’s what builds a true team, a championship team. I’m proud to stand with you and be part of this team tonight.”
Nassib’s Thoughts
- “It is truly a privilege to be up here,” Nassib said. “We’re creating space for people to be vulnerable—and that work is truly lifesaving. It’s not about being perfect, it’s about showing up and reminding people they’re not alone.”
Overall Thoughts
This has been a tremendous event over the last few years, and the Raiders’ organization has done a great job of raising awareness for mental health. This will be an event that the team will continue to host in the future.
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Nevada
Nevada workers fear homelessness as housing, jobs vanish before July deadline | Fox News Video
The final casino resort in Primm, Nevada, will close this summer after years of declining tourism, ending gaming operations in the once-busy border town and putting hundreds of employees out of work.
Primm Valley Casino Resorts is shutting down its remaining hotel and casino operations in July as experts point to increased competition, changing travel habits and post-pandemic losses behind the decline.
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