Human Rights Watch (HRW) and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) have stated that the US government’s approval of lithium mining in a region of Nevada has obstructed Indigenous peoples’ access to land for religious and cultural activities, violating their rights. The criticism continues regarding the activities at the Thacker Pass lithium mine in Nevada.
HRW and ACLU highlighted these violations in their 133-page report titled “Our Land, Forever: Human Rights Violations Against the Numu/Nuwu and Newe Peoples in the US Lithium Pursuit.” The report emphasizes that the US administration’s permit to Lithium Americas has blocked access to land needed for religious and cultural practices by local Indigenous peoples.
The report also stresses that Indigenous voices were not consulted in the decision-making process. It calls on the US government to halt construction at Thacker Pass until the consent of the Indigenous peoples is obtained and to ensure that all current and future mining permits comply with international human rights standards.
Between September 2023 and January 2025, HRW and ACLU spoke to 41 members of Indigenous communities, journalists, lawyers, and experts, and reviewed cases, scientific studies, news, social media, satellite images, and environmental maps.
One unnamed Indigenous community member in the report shared their frustration, saying, “They keep saying ‘consultation, consultation,’ but I don’t think that’s what they’re doing.”
Additionally, Indigenous groups have expressed concerns about the mine threatening health, environmental, and water rights.
Abbey Koenning-Rutherford from HRW commented, “The Thacker Pass project demonstrates how US mining laws and the permitting process disregard Indigenous peoples’ rights. Federal and state mining agencies must urgently review mining regulations to align with international standards on Indigenous peoples’ rights to free, prior, and informed consent.”
Environmental rights group Great Basin Resource Watch warned that toxic waste from lithium extraction could reach heights of 350 meters if collected, creating a significant environmental hazard.
Thacker Pass, one of the largest known lithium sources globally, is critical for electric vehicle batteries, which have grown in demand. The mine has faced frequent criticism for its environmental impact and lack of Indigenous consent.
After the US Bureau of Land Management approved the lithium mining project in 2021, many protests were held, with numerous NGOs defending environmental, human rights, and Indigenous peoples’ rights, condemning the government’s decision due to the environmental damage and rights violations.