Through the decades it is fair to say mining has earned itself a chequered reputation. The industry, driven by the world’s insatiable appetite for minerals, has routinely been linked or found responsible for corruption, human rights abuses and environmental degradation, mostly in the Global South.

Lightly frosted with snow, the peaks of Red Butte look particularly beautiful today, remarks Dianna Sue White Dove Uqualla, an elder of the Havasupai Tribe. This land near the south rim of the Grand Canyon is sacred to her people as the place where their creation story says life began. It was once a hub of ceremony and prayer, but tribal members rarely visit now—not since the Pinyon Plain Mine started to extract uranium just 10 kilometers away.

As Nevada prepares for the next few years of its lithium boom, a new study is drawing attention to what's at stake: water. Lithium, used in electric vehicle batteries, is considered a critical mineral for the transition from fossil fuels to greener energy sources. Only one lithium mine is fully operational in the country, in the Silver Peak mountain range in Nevada’s Esmeralda County.

As Nevada gears up for the next few years of its lithium boom, a new study is calling attention to what’s most at stake — water. Lithium, used in electric vehicle batteries, is considered a critical mineral for the transition away from fossil fuels to more green sources of energy. Only one lithium mine is fully operational in the country, in the Silver Peak mountain range of Nevada’s Esmeralda County.

Local and national public-interest groups, as well as Havasupai Tribe members, delivered more than 17,000 petition signatures to Gov. Katie Hobbs today urging her to use her authority to close the Pinyon Plain uranium mine that threatens the waters of the Grand Canyon and the Havasupai Tribe.

A push for nuclear power is fueling demand for uranium, spurring the opening of new mines. The industry says new technologies will eliminate pollution from uranium mining, but its toxic legacy, particularly in the U.S. Southwest, leaves many wary of an incipient mining boom.

Yesterday, the feds signaled their approval for a long-awaited agreement between the Colorado River states — collectively, the lower basin states (Arizona, California, and Nevada) will reduce our water use by 3 million acre-feet by 2026. The hope is that we’ll be able to replenish our crucial reservoirs, including Lake Mead, the source of 90% of our city’s water. But damming rivers to create reservoirs isn’t without problems. So… was creating Lake Mead in the first place a mistake? Today, we’re bringing back a conversation co-host Dayvid Figler had with UNLV hydrologist Dr. David Kreamer, who explains the history of Lake Mead’s creation and why reservoirs can be so essential for cities — but also controversial.

Silver Peak, which began mining lithium in the 1960s, won’t remain the only U.S. lithium mine for long.