Amnesty Calls for Suspend of Nevada Lithium Permits
SkimNews Take
Rapid resource extraction, even for green technologies, often prioritizes national economic and strategic interests over established protocols for Indigenous land rights.
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- Amnesty International released a report urging the suspension of federal permits for all lithium mines in Nevada, citing violations of Indigenous rights.
- Nevada holds roughly 85 % of the United States’ known lithium reserves, and the report flags three key projects—Thacker Pass (under construction), Nevada North (exploratory), and Rhyolite Ridge (set to start construction this year)—all on public land the Western Shoshone and Paiute consider unceded.
- Western Shoshone peoples, along with the Paiute, claim the projects breach their right to free, prior, and informed consent under the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
- Mark Dummett of Amnesty warned that mining firms must prioritize human rights over mineral extraction.
- U.S. Department of Interior spokesperson dismissed the report as baseless, saying courts have repeatedly rejected such claims and that lithium production benefits the American people.
Why it matters: Indigenous communities lose control over unceded land and risk water contamination, while the U.S. gains domestic lithium supply for EVs; the report could stall permits and delay construction, affecting the emerging battery supply chain.
