The nation鈥檚 largest known lithium deposit is here in the Mountain West. As demand for electric vehicles grows 鈥� and with it demand for lithium, used to make EV batteries 鈥� one company hopes to harvest the mineral from that deposit in Northern Nevada.

Lithium Nevada, the company behind the , said the deposit holds enough lithium to of the world鈥檚 current demand. The company claims its proposed open-pit mine would provide 1,000 construction jobs and hundreds of permanent, ongoing positions in the areas north of rural Winnemucca.

Cattle rancher Jhona Bell, for one, has concerns.

鈥淲ell, it takes out a lot of our range, and it has a huge economic impact for us," she said. "Obviously you can鈥檛 run cattle where there鈥檚 a mine."

Bell said she鈥檚 also concerned about water usage, land reclamation and traffic.

Lithium has been designated a by the Trump administration, and some analysts expect worldwide demand to .

The project would need approval from the Bureau of Land Management. The agency is and drafting its initial environmental impact statement.

This story was produced by the Mountain West 暗黑爆料 Bureau, a collaboration between Wyoming Public Media, Boise State Public Radio in Idaho, KUER in Salt Lake City, KUNR in Nevada, the O鈥機onnor Center For the Rocky Mountain West in Montana, and KRCC and KUNC in Colorado.

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