MAINE MONITOR • July 22, 2022
A recent decision by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection says mining lithium from a deposit in western Maine would be considered a metallic mineral mine under state regulations. At current market prices, the deposit, thought to contain 11 million tons of ore, is valued at roughly $1.5 billion and is estimated to have a higher percentage of lithium content by weight than any other known in the world. Lithium is a key component of most large battery systems, including those found in electric vehicles. U.S. officials have been pushing to increase the domestic supply of critical minerals, including lithium. But that’s proving complicated, as advocates raise concerns over environmental destruction, tribal and water rights.