Permitting
Rhyolite Ridge Permitting – Project was Approved by U.S. Federal Government in October 2024
On October 24, 2024 the BLM issued the formal Record of Decision (ROD) for the Rhyolite Ridge Lithium-Boron Project, representing the final required federal permit for the Project.
View Formal Record of Decision
Visit the BLM’s E-Planning Page for the Project
Timeline of Permitting Process
The Bureau of Land Management published the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (Draft EIS) on April 16, 2024 and accepted comments until June 3, 2024.
On September 20, 2024, the BLM published the Final Environmental Impact Statement.
BLM Press Release
Concurrently on September 20, 2024, The US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) also formally released the ESA Section 7 Biological Opinion concluding that the Rhyolite Ridge Lithium-Boron Project will not jeopardize the ESA-listed Tiehm’s buckwheat or adversely modify its critical habitat.
Process Timeline
In August 2020, Ioneer submitted its initial Plan of Operations to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Following consultation and guidance from the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the BLM, we submitted a revised Plan of Operations to the BLM in July 2022 to reflect the modification of the initial mining quarry, avoiding all known populations of the Tiehm’s buckwheat.
In October 2024, the BLM issued a formal Record of Decision for the Project, allow construction activities to commence at Rhyolite Ridge.
View the Rhyolite Ridge Project’s Record of Decision
Read more about our efforts below regarding:
• Tiehm’s buckwheat conservation
• Water Usage at Rhyolite Ridge
Rhyolite Ridge Quick Facts
- During the two-year construction period, the Project will employ 400-500 workers and 250-300 workers once operational. Median total compensation levels will be approximately $141,000.
- Rhyolite Ridge is estimated to contribute approximately $15 – $25 million in taxes to state and local governments during construction. Once operational, the project is estimated to contribute $13 – $35 million annually through property taxes, net proceeds on minerals, and other taxes and fees.
- Due to the unique ore found at Rhyolite Ridge, the water usage associated with the production of lithium is much lower compared to current domestic production. The process is designed to recycle the majority of water usage, further reducing water demand.
- There is no need for tailings dams or evaporation ponds because of the unique searlesite at Rhyolite Ridge.
- The design of Rhyolite Ridge’s processing facility will allow the company to produce sufficient electricity to power its processing operations, meaning zero-reliance on the electrical grid.
- Ioneer’s ability to process this resilient, domestic supply of lithium on-site for use in the U.S. battery supply chain greatly reduces the environmental impact of shipping across oceans.
- Ioneer has signed three binding offtake agreements with some of the largest car manufacturers in the world to supply Nevada lithium for US Vehicles: Ford Motor Company, Prime Planet Energy and Solutions (a joint venture between Toyota and Panasonic), and EcoPro Innovation. Additionally, Ioneer signed an offtake agreement with Nevada based Dragonfly Energy which will allow for Nevada sourced lithium carbonate to be used in Nevada manufactured batteries.
- Ioneer has also entered into Memorandums of Understanding with Nextech Batteries in Carson City, and Lithion in Henderson in an effort to bolster the State’s and the US domestic lithium battery supply chain.