Blog Article

Nevada's mining story is one of transformation, from the silver veins of the Comstock Lode that built Virginia City into a boomtown in the 1860s, to the lithium deposits at Thacker Pass that are helping power the domestic energy economy of the 21st century. Today, that story has a new chapter, and Lithium Americas is proud to be part of it.

Late last year, Hilary Loupee, President of the Reno Gem and Mineral Society, received an unexpected call from the Historic 4th Ward School Museum in Virginia City, one of Nevada's most storied mining landmarks. The museum, once a school for the children of Comstock-era miners, was looking to fill the empty display cases on its mining museum floor. The centerpiece was a striking interactive wall display, one that longtime Nevada mining professionals may recognize: it was originally installed in Concourse B of the Reno-Tahoe International Airport, created during Tim Crowley's tenure as President of the Nevada Mining Association.

“When I saw the display, I immediately knew what it was,” said Loupee. “And I knew we had a real opportunity to bring it back to life, this time in a place where it truly belongs.”

The display features ten mineral categories representing Nevada's remarkable resource diversity: gold, silver, copper, barium, lithium, magnesium, geothermal rock, gypsum, diatomite, and perlite. Sourcing samples for each required some creative problem-solving. Premier Magnesia responded quickly with excellent samples of magnesite and brucite. For lithium, Loupee reached out to Lithium Americas.

“Tim Crowley responded right away,” said Loupee. “He was President of the Nevada Mining Association when it was created and knew exactly which display I was talking about. Lithium Americas donated a sample of lithium ore and processed lithium carbonate, which ended up being one of the most distinctive pieces in the whole case.”

More than a decade ago, Tim Crowley, then President of the Nevada Mining Association, helped bring this very display to life, installing it in Concourse B of the Reno-Tahoe International Airport in 2014. Today, as Senior Vice President of Government and External Affairs at Lithium Americas, Crowley is pleased to see the NvMA work has come full circle: the display he helped create now features lithium ore from Thacker Pass.

It was a connection that came naturally to Crowley. “Nevada has always been a mining state. It’s in our DNA,” said Crowley, now SVP of Government and External Affairs at Lithium Americas. “Being able to contribute to a display that tells that story, from the Comstock all the way to what we're building at Thacker Pass, was the right thing to do. We're proud to be part of that continuum.”

For Randal Burns, Lithium Americas' Chief Geologist, the donation carries particular meaning. “Lithium carbonate looks nothing like what most people picture when they think of mining,” said Burns. “Having those samples on display, right alongside gold, silver and copper from Nevada's past helps people understand that this is a mineral and chemical story, too. Thacker Pass sits on the largest known measured and indicated lithium resource in North America, and we want Nevadans to feel connected to what that means.”

Those samples now sit in elegant glass vases, a fitting presentation for minerals that look quite different from the raw rock chunks filling the other shelves, and that represent something equally distinct: the future.

The completed display is now welcoming the museum's thousands of annual visitors. Guests can press buttons corresponding to each mineral, lighting up the locations of active mines across a large interactive map of Nevada, a vivid reminder that the state's mining heritage is not a relic of the past, but a living, evolving industry.

“It is so exciting to have a sample from such an important project for our state," said Loupee. "Lithium is where Nevada's mining story is headed next, and now visitors to Virginia City can see exactly where it comes from.”

For Lithium Americas, the donation reflects a broader commitment to community engagement and public education, ensuring that Nevadans understand not just what is being built at Thacker Pass, but why it matters. From the silver that built a stat is as strong as ever.

“Batteries & Beyond: Why Lithium Matters,” exhibit at the Maine Mineral & Gem Museum in Bethel, Maine, features mineral specimens and video content contributed by Lithium Americas.

Interactive geological samples and display cases invite visitors to explore minerals up close, including specimens connected to the Thacker Pass deposit.

It's also worth noting that Virginia City is not the first museum to feature Thacker Pass. In 2023, the Maine Mineral & Gem Museum in Bethel, Maine opened “Batteries & Beyond: Why Lithium Matters,” a three-year exhibit project exploring lithium's role in the global clean energy transition. The exhibit follows lithium from mineral deposit to finished battery, examining world resources, the global supply chain, and its role in everyday technologies. Lithium Americas contributed mineral specimens and video content that became key features across several of the exhibit's displays, helping visitors connect to the materials and processes behind one of North America’s most significant lithium resources. From the coast of Maine to the hills of Virginia City, the story of Thacker Pass is finding its way into museum halls across the country, and helping Americans understand why lithium matters.

“Our goal with Batteries & Beyond is to help visitors understand how a material like lithium moves from the ground into the technologies they use every day. It’s a story that connects geology, industry, and daily life in ways that aren’t always visible,” said Myles Felch, Curator at the Maine Mineral & Gem Museum. “We’re grateful for the contributions from industry partners like Lithium Americas, which help bring that story to life for our visitors.”

If you'd like to see the Nevada-based display for yourself, the Historic Fourth Ward School Museum is located at 537 S. C Street, on the south end of Virginia City. The museum is open to the public during its regular season from May 1 through October 31, daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Nevada minerals display, including Lithium Americas' contribution, is part of the museum's permanent mining exhibit. Travel Nevada deems it as a worthwhile stop for anyone traveling through the area, and a great way to experience the full arc of Nevada's mining legacy in one place.

The Reno Gem and Mineral Society continues its work at the museum, with additional projects underway including a local lapidary stone wall display, a large Nevada specimen case featuring Black Rock Geodes and crystals, and enhancements to the fluorescent mineral exhibit.

Lithium Americas extends its sincere thanks to Hilary Loupee and the Reno Gem and Mineral Society for their community spirit and for making this collaboration possible.