According to a Reuters report, the US government under President Donald Trump apparently wants to acquire a stake of up to ten percent in Lithium Americas. The background to this is ongoing negotiations over a 2.26-billion-dollar loan from the Department of Energy for the large-scale “Thacker Pass” lithium project in the state of Nevada. With this demand, the government is continuing its course of strengthening key industries for national security through direct intervention – similar to what it has already done with Intel and MP Materials.
Foundation of the US battery industry
The Thacker Pass deposit could become the largest source of lithium in the Western Hemisphere in the future. Ambitious US plans envisage producing around 40,000 tons of lithium carbonate there annually from 2028 – enough for up to 800,000 electric vehicles. Given Chinaʼs dominant role with its share of more than 75 percent of the global lithium market, the Thacker Pass deposit is considered a key strategic project for the United Statesʼ own independence. Another reason for the high level of political interest is the involvement of car manufacturer General Motors. GM has already invested 625 million US dollars in Lithium Americas, holds just under 38 percent of the mine, and has secured access to the lithium from the first production phase.
