McDermitt Caldera in Oregon is attracting attention for what could be one of the largest lithium deposits ever identified in the United States. Many view it as a potential boost for domestic battery production, while local communities voice concern over the impact on wildlife and cultural sites.
Lithium deposit exposes priorities
“This feature is 16 million years old, and we’re making decisions in a matter of years,” said Sammy Castonguay, a geologist at Treasure Valley Community College.
Castonguay’s statement has stirred local debate over how the development might reshape the high desert.
Industry advocates see a path to addressing the ballooning need for electric vehicle batteries.
Neighbors around the caldera and the McDermitt deposit worry that large-scale extraction could damage an ecosystem that supports pronghorn antelope, sage-grouse, and other sensitive species.
The environmental dilemma
A proposal from HiTech Minerals Inc. seeks to add roads and hundreds of wells to test for lithium in Malheur County.
[More]
