Opponents of the nation's largest lithium mine under construction in Nevada are urging U.S. officials to investigate potential impacts on groundwater levels that could threaten the existence of a tiny snail species. The project by Lithium Americas at Thacker Pass has come under scrutiny by environmentalists and Native American activists.
The mine, spanning about 9 square miles, has raised fears about declining groundwater levels. Recent evidence suggests a drop of nearly 5 feet in the water table since 2018, according to a hydrogeology expert's analysis. This has prompted concerns about the fate of the Kings River pyrg, a snail species found only in the basin surrounding the mine site.
