A Nevada Lithium project that is central to American efforts to secure the domestic mineral stock, leans on a half -century -old satellite program for modern answers.
The Geological Survey’s Landsat programManaged with NASA, has continued earth observations since 1972. The freely available images enable scientists and industrial leaders to measure landscape changes with precision.
In the north of Nevada, those insights appear to be crucial because Lithium Americas works to promote Thakker Pass in a way that meets strict standards for environmental and land use.
“Landsat images are valuable for the development of the critical mineral project development because it offers consistent, long-term data that document changes in land use and geological characteristics, assess environmental receptors and support decisions about the planning,” ” Said Alexi ZawadzkiPresident of North American operations for Lithium Americas (NYSE: LAC), in a USGS report.
When the planning began, Landsat data revealed that the original mine site overlaps with an important habitat of the sage hairstyle.
Although the bird is not a protected species, the sharp population decrease has been an indicator of ecosystem health in the Nevada ranking country since the 1960s. The finding led developers to move the project six miles south, away from Prime Territorium.
Water use is another critical challenge with which the project is confronted. Landsat data is linked to field controls to estimate the groundwater levels, using differences in vegetation to distract depth.
With this data, the Thakker Pass project aimed at recycling of processed water up to seven times and to work as a “zero liquid discharge facility”.
In contrast to traditional lithium brine operations, the Lithium project will extract from clay deposits. Ressen are stored in dry facilities and later reused for recovery work.
Economic promise
Lithium Americas estimates that the construction of Thakker Pass can generate more than US $ 700 million every year and support 1,800 jobs. Once operational, economic activity affiliated with the average US $ 2.1 billion a year, according to a University of Nevada, Reno study.
Lithium is a cornerstone of batteries that feed smartphones, laptops and electric vehicles. The US is in third place worldwide in well -known lithium sources, but remains dependent on imports.
Due to the growing importance of the source, the development of domestic supply has become a matter of both industrial policy and national security.
The value of Landsat is hardly limited to mining. A 2023 Economic analysis has placed its annual contributions to the American industry at US $ 25.6 billion, of everything, from gold survey to lower insurance costs for farmers.
For Thakker Pass, the test will come when the mining starts. But for the time being, the view from the space has already reformed how the project is planned and provided for the future.
By applying landsat data, hope to demonstrate planners that the extraction of resources and environmental management can make a progress together.
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Publication of securities: I, Giann Liguid, has no direct investment interest in a company mentioned in this article.
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