Known for the Rhyolite Ridge Lithium-Boron Project in Nevada, Ioneer is set to transform the U.S. lithium supply chain by quadrupling domestic production and supporting the clean energy movement. As the only known lithium-boron deposit in North America, Rhyolite Ridge is crucial for renewable energy technologies. Committed to environmentally and socially responsible mining, Ioneer aims to reduce dependency on foreign lithium and strengthen Nevada’s battery supply chain. The project will operate on-site, minimizing costs and maximizing sustainability through green electricity generation and water conservation. Partnering with Dragonfly Energy, Ioneer aims to revolutionize lithium battery manufacturing in Nevada, utilizing sustainable practices to significantly catalyze the transition to clean energy in North America.
Pioneering Science for a Sustainable Future
As an Australian-based science company, Ioneer has been studying and pioneering innovative science solutions since 2007. Led by current CEO and Managing Director Bernard Rowe and formerly known as Global Geoscience, the company “struck gold” when prospectors brought them a little-known lithium-boron project in Nevada in 2016. By 2017, they had secured ownership and committed to the development of the Rhyolite Ridge Lithium-Boron Project and in 2018, changed their name to “Ioneer Ltd to reflect its new focus and commitment to becoming an important producer of the materials necessary for a sustainable future.”
Soon after, Ioneer began walking through the steps to gain federal funding and receive the proper permitting to break ground on this project. Ioneer has continued forging partnerships with key stakeholders and recently finished drilling 53 holes that would greatly expand the footprint of the resources in this lithium-rich era. Ultimately, Ioneer is committed to clean energy and making the world more sustainable. By providing essential partners with necessary resources, Ioneer is playing a vital role in leading us toward the widespread adoption of renewable energy.
“Ioneer’s core mission is to develop a U.S.-based source of lithium and boron that can be extracted in an environmentally and socially responsible manner, providing two materials that are essential to achieve a sustainable future for our planet.” Through Ioneer’s Rhyolite Ridge Lithium-Boron Project, they are positioned to become a leading U.S.-based supplier of critical components needed in the battery industry. In the long term, this project will quadruple the U.S. lithium supply, strengthening key domestic markets, including the EV battery supply chain and other domestically produced lithium cells.
Ioneer’s Rhyolite Ridge Project Will Revolutionize the Lithium Supply Chain in North America
Located in Esmeralda County in central Nevada, the Rhyolite Ridge Lithium-Boron Project is extremely rare as it is the only known lithium-boron deposit in North America. Lithium and boron are both essential materials utilized in renewable energy technology and are critical to sustainably and cost-effectively transitioning energy sources in North America. By strengthening the domestic supply chain and radically increasing the amount of material available to power EVs and other lithium batteries, this project will be monumental for the clean energy movement.
Currently, the United States is reliant on foreign trade to provide lithium, which is essential for batteries that power nearly every facet of our lives. From the small batteries inside phones and smartwatches to e-bikes, electric vehicles, storage batteries, and everything in between, lithium is a critical resource. Rhyolite Ridge is set to change that. “Once operational, Rhyolite Ridge is expected to be a low-cost lithium site due to the valuable boron co-product and innovative cost-saving measures embedded in our sustainably designed operations.”
Over the course of its projected 26-year production cycle, Rhyolite Ridge will power millions of lithium batteries. All mining, processing, and production of the lithium coming from the Rhyolite Ridge project will take place directly on-site. Since materials will not need to be shipped to a separate processing facility, costs will be reduced, and sustainability can be prioritized. By quickly and efficiently producing lithium carbonate at Rhyolite Ridge, Ioneer can transfer materials directly to lithium battery manufacturers within the state and greatly increase the speed and reliability of the lithium battery supply chain.
A New Era in Mining
“With Rhyolite Ridge, Ioneer seeks to set the new standard for responsible, 21st-century mining in the U.S.” At every turn, Ioneer is finding innovative ways to pursue sustainability as they mine this critical resource. By utilizing a domestic source of lithium and boron, Ioneer can ensure that they are extracted in an environmentally and socially responsible manner. Additionally, Ioneer will adopt globally recognized ESG standards developed to promote the transition to sustainable mining and will publicly report them while being audited to ensure their adherence.
Ioneer is prioritizing sustainability in the Rhyolite Ridge project by using a sulfuric acid plant and related steam turbine in its processing facility. These two additions will allow them to produce enough electricity to power their entire operation. This will allow Ioneer to operate entirely independently of the Nevada electrical grid and use minimal fossil fuels to produce electricity. “Electricity generated in this manner produces minimal CO2 emissions and minimal hazardous air pollutants and is considered green co-generation.”
Beyond reducing strain on the electrical grid and use of fossil fuels, Ioneer is also prioritizing water conservation efforts throughout the Rhyolite Ridge project. Compared to other types of lithium production, including the use of brine extraction and solar evaporation, Ioneer’s production efforts use extremely low amounts of water. By optimizing the processing to reduce water needs and recycling a majority of the water used during the refining process, Ioneer can conserve more water. Maintaining water levels in the quarry lake and allowing levels to stabilize below pre-mining groundwater elevation will result in a long-term, stable hydraulic sink around the quarry. Through in-pit dewatering techniques, the quarry will maintain optimal levels and ensure the progression of a dry, stable floor.
Balancing Development and Conservation | Ioneer’s Sustainable Mining Approach
Furthermore, Ioneer is implementing sustainability practices through the automation and electrification of its mining fleet. “Ioneer is collaborating with Caterpillar (Cat), a leader on the journey toward automation for many years. Fully integrated mining automation systems offer unprecedented improvements in operator safety, equipment utilization, and site productivity.” These automated systems could increase operating hours and reduce cycle times, which in turn improves cycle efficiency, therefore decreasing operating costs needed for maintenance, fuel, labor, and tires.
“Cat autonomous mining trucks have safely hauled more than 2 billion tons of material worldwide, driving over 67.6 million kilometers without a lost-time injury.” Increased productivity levels of Cat’s autonomous mining trucks reduce the overall number of trucks required to complete the project. This, in addition to further electrification, will reduce the amount of fossil fuels required for this project.
Finally, Ioneer is dedicated to mining sustainability by protecting endangered species of plants living in and around Rhyolite Ridge. “Tiehm’s buckwheat (Eriogonum tiehmii) is a low-growing perennial herb, first identified in Esmeralda County, Nevada, in 1983. In December 2022, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) listed Tiehm’s buckwheat under the Endangered Species Act and designated 910 acres of critical habitat to help conserve the plant.”
Throughout their plan for Rhyolite Ridge, Ioneer has prioritized avoiding all direct impacts and minimizing indirect impacts to Tiehm’s buckwheat population in the area. By actively engaging the local community and Tribal Nations during the initial planning stages and throughout the project, Ioneer is striving to maintain the integrity of the land surrounding the project. “We are focused on balancing the need to develop a nationally important and critical mineral resource essential to a sustainable planet while maintaining and uplifting the Tiehm’s buckwheat population at Rhyolite Ridge.”
Ioneer and Dragonfly Energy are Working Together to Strengthen Nevada’s Lithium Battery Supply Chain
Ioneer is committed to pursuing environmentally and socially responsible ways to source lithium and boron in its Nevada-based Rhyolite Ridge project. By working to quadruple the lithium supply in the United States, Ioneer will reduce dependency on imports and bolster the lithium battery supply chain in Nevada. As an active member of the Nevada Battery Coalition (NBC), Ioneer is striving to actively supply raw lithium that will play a key role in closing the lithium loop in Nevada.
“In May 2023, we announced a lithium offtake agreement with Ioneer. With our proprietary dry electrode battery manufacturing technology, Dragonfly Energy is set to revolutionize lithium battery manufacturing. As a fellow member of NBC, we are also striving to close the lithium loop in Nevada. By securing domestically and sustainably sourced lithium from Ioneer’s Rhyolite Ridge Project, we can utilize our cell manufacturing technology to produce lithium-ion batteries.
Through the essential efforts of Ioneer sustainably mining this critical resource and our innovative and sustainable manufacturing process, we can revolutionize the lithium battery market in North America. Combining Ioneer’s commitment to sustainability with Dragonfly Energy’s manufacturing process, which is 25% less energy intense, offers a 9% reduced carbon footprint, and utilizes no toxic NMP solvents and PFAS-free electrodes, will significantly catalyze the transition to clean energy in North America.
