More than a trillion dollars of a valuable mineral that plays a crucial part in the manufacturing process of Teslas has been found in abundance in a US state.
While its discovery could see the government rake in an estimate $1.5 trillion dollars - which could go a long way considering the figure equates to four percent of the US' national debt that of $36 trillion - there is an ethical debate to be had.
There could be as much as 40 million metric tons of lithium, and mining such quantity could have a devastating impact on the local wildlife - where sage-grouse, a species of bird whose population numbers have greatly decreased over the years, currently inhabit.
The lithium, which is often referred to as 'white gold' due to its value and appearance, was spotted on the McDermitt Caldera, which runs from the southeastern Oregon to north Nevada.
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It is one of Earth's most precious metals and can be used in a medicinal way to treat people with bipolar disorder, as well as in batteries - and the McDermitt Caldera reserve is so vast it could power roughly 600 million Teslas.
So what is a caldera?
Rather than the mountain-shaped volcanoes we typically picture, caldera are characterized by sprawling depressions, although don't be fooled by their appearance - they can still pack a punch.
Fortunately, the McDermitt Caldera is not currently active, and is so large it is considered a supervolcano - an extinct one that is believed to have formed 16 million years ago.
It is located in the high desert, and there are major concerns over how it could reshape the area - with its importance for electric vehicle batteries cited as one of the biggest reasons that mining should get underway.
Nevada has already signed off on what is expected to become the largest lithium mine in North America on its side of the McDermitt Caldera, but Oregon officials are still deciding whether or not to do the same.
“We need to do this the Oregon way – with full accountability and shared benefits,” said director of economic development in Malheur County Greg Smith explained.
The Oregon Chapter of the Sierra Club has stated that it does not want drilling for the material to harm the fragile habitats in the area, although they do support cleaner energy - which compared to fossil fuels, lithium very much is.
While others believe it would disrupt water sources for communities in the area, Malheur County is hopeful that it could serve as a boom to local economy, with much-needed jobs.
If mining was to go ahead on the Oregon-side of the caldera, it would enrage the indigenous tribes living in the area, with tribal leader in nearby locations having already contested the plans, stating that they hold sacred ceremonies on the land.
Topics: Environment, Tesla
Joe Yates