The world’s largest known measured lithium Resource and Reserve supporting the development of a lithium district in northern Nevada

Thacker Pass

Location Humboldt County in Northern Nevada, U.S.
Resource Sedimentary lithium
Product Battery-quality lithium carbonate (Li2CO3)
Operation Shallow open-pit mine and processing facility
Stage Commenced construction March 2023
Nominal production capacity 160,000 t/y batteryquality Li2CO3 production capacity over five phases:
  • Phase 1: 40,000 t/y
  • Phase 2: 40,000 t/y
  • Phase 3: 40,000 t/y
  • Phase 4 and 5: 40,000 t/y
  • Life of mine 85 years
    Offtake Offtake agreement with General Motors for 100% of production volumes from Phase 1 for 20 years, plus 38% of Phase 2 production volumes for 20 years, and a right of first offer on the remaining Phase 2 production volumes
      For full details, refer to the Company’s news release of January 7, 2024, NI 43-101 Technical Report or S-K 1300 Technical Report.
    Thacker Pass Map

    The most significant opportunity to create a North American lithium battery supply chain for electric vehicles

    Thacker Pass received a Record of Decision in January 2021 from the U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and commenced initial construction in March 2023.

    Thacker Pass is situated at the southern end of the McDermitt Caldera, approximately 60 miles (100 km) northwest of Winnemucca, in Humboldt County, northern Nevada.

    We are committed to engaging with our broad range of stakeholders to responsibly develop Thacker Pass to become one of North America's largest sources of lithium chemicals to fuel the electric vehicle revolution.

    Lithium Americas has closed a $2.26 billion loan from the U.S. Department of Energy under the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan Program for financing the construction of the processing facilities at Thacker Pass.

    Lithium Technical Development Center Virtual Tour

    LAC’s Lithium Technical Development Center in Reno, Nevada is a state-of-the-art laboratory and piloting facility validating the Thacker Pass flowsheet with all recycles in one place and proving production of battery-quality lithium carbonate from Thacker Pass ore via a continuous-production process. The Tech Center has achieved ISO-9001:2015 certification.

    American Supply Chain and Reducing GHG Pollution

    The United States Department of Defense has listed lithium as a critical mineral, because of U.S. overdependence on foreign countries for supply, and its importance to American security and economic prosperity. Production from Thacker Pass is anticipated to support lithium needs for up to 800,000 electric vehicles annually, will significantly reduce the country's dependence of foreign sources of lithium and help create a domestic supply chain for essential energy-storage materials.

    The manufacturing of batteries has a global footprint. Currently most of the world's lithium is mined in Australia or South America and only 1% is mined in the U.S. Lithium concentrate is then shipped mostly to China, to be processed into battery chemicals. These lithium chemicals are then often shipped to other parts of Asia, the U.S. or Europe to make into cathodes and install in battery packs. The batteries are then often shipped to another location for installation into their final product, such as electric vehicles. This current global supply chain uses a lot of energy.

    Thacker Pass could enable a U.S. domestic supply chain that would allow domestic car manufacturers to produce electric vehicles from battery materials completely sourced and manufactured in the U.S., bringing down the overall carbon footprint, transport costs and supply chain risks.

    Hummer truck