Critics Warn Nevada Lithium Project Could Wipe Out Snail Species

Critics of a lithium mine currently under construction in Nevada have warned that the project could wipe out a species of tiny snails.

Why It Matters

The Kings River pyrg is being considered for threatened or endangered species status, and the mine site at Thacker Pass in Northern Nevada is the only place in the world where the snails live.

Meanwhile, the project is vital for U.S. production of elective vehicles which use lithium batteries.

What To Know

The Western Watersheds Project, an environmentalist group aimed at protecting the watersheds and wildlife of Western America, and the People of Red Mountain, a Western Native American group set on protecting their ancestral homelands, are arguing in a notice of intent to sue that the U.S. government and Lithium Americas, a Canada-based company who is heading the lithium mine project, are not living up to promises to adequately monitor the impacts that the project is having on groundwater.

The Groundwater And The Kings River Pyrg

The Kings River pyrg uses 13 isolated springs within the basin surrounding the mine site to survive.

The snails sometimes only require a few centimeters of water, however, Paul Ruprecht, Nevada Director for Western Watersheds Project, told The Associated Press (AP) that the snails' margin for survival becomes more narrow if the groundwater system that supplies the springs begins to drop.

This photo provided by Lynne Buckner shows a Kings River pryg, a springsnail found in 13 isolated springs around Thacker Pass, 200 miles northeast of Reno, Nevada, on April 7, 2022. Critics argue that a... Lynne Buckner via AP, File

Critics Argue Groundwater Is Dropping

The Western Watersheds Project and the People of Red Mountain argue that it's alarming that an analysis of groundwater data from a nearby well shows a drop in the water table of almost 5 feet since 2018. The study was conducted by Payton Gardner, an assistant professor of hydrogeology at the University of Montana.

Groundwater levels had remained stable from the 1960s to 2018, according to prior data cited by the AP. Mine construction began at the site in 2023.

Nevada Regulators See No Change

Meanwhile, Nevada regulators say they have no data so far that would confirm declining groundwater levels. However, they have pledged to monitor the groundwater during the mine's lifespan.

What People Are Saying

Ruprecht told the AP: "Even slight disruptions to [the snails'] habitat could cause springs to run dry, driving it to extinction."

He added that without protection, the Kings River pyrg "will become another casualty of the lithium boom."

Lithium Americas spokesman Tim Crowley told the AP that it appears the mine's critics are "working to re-spin issues that have previously been addressed and resolved in court."

A federal judge and an appeals court dismissed a previous attempt by Native American tribes to get the federal government to recognize the sacred nature of the mine site. The tribes pointed to a deadly 1865 massacre at the mine site in which over 20 of their Paiute and Shoshone ancestors were killed by U.S. troops.

Crowley noted a decade of data collection by Lithium Americas indicating the snail would not be affected by the mine project.

What Happens Now

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is currently conducting a review of the snail's status to see whether the species needs special protection.

This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.