California's "Lithium Valley." Win-win for for Energy and the Environment?

As the United States seeks to develop its electric vehicle manufacturing capabilities and meet climate change goals, obtaining a reliable source of lithium is paramount. As part of this process, stakeholders should keep a close eye on California’s support for this industry and the Salton Sea region in particular.  This once thriving region’s lithium might just be the missing key needed to find an environmentally friendly source, reduce the U.S.’s dependence on foreign countries, and to revitalize the entire Imperial Valley.

The Salton Sea area in southern California offers a unique combination of naturally occurring lithium in subsurface mineral deposits which are proximate to a geothermally active area, providing a natural source of heat. Preliminary studies indicate this region potentially holds enough lithium to meet all of America’s domestic battery needs and possibly enough to become a net exporter in the future.    

For more on this important topic and how it may revolutionize the domestic lithium industry, while supporting local communities, please see our in depth post here.