2023-09-14 09:00:00
McDermitt’s Caldera, Flickr source.
A team of volcanologists and geologists from Lithium Americas Corporation, GNS Science and Oregon State University (USA) has revealed that the McDermitt Caldera, an ancient extinct volcano located on the border between Nevada and Oregon, could host some of the lithium deposits largest known on Earth. Lithium is a highly valued mineral due to its applications in industry, particularly in the manufacture of batteries for mobile phones and electric vehicles.
In their study, published in the journal Science Advances, Thomas Benson, Matthew Coble and John Dilles examined parts of the caldera and believe they have discovered how lithium was formed in this region. Although the existence of the deposit has been known for some time, this new research confirms the magnitude of its reserves.
In recent decades, lithium has become a very valuable resource due to its use in a wide variety of batteries. As demand for lithium increases, scientists working for mining companies such as Lithium Americas Corporation are searching for ever larger lithium deposits to meet this growing demand.
The McDermitt Caldera is a formation of volcanic origin that spans approximately 45 kilometers long and 35 kilometers wide. It is believed to be possibly the oldest in a series of calderas formed by volcanic eruptions similar to those at Yellowstone. About 19 million years ago, a large lava dome initially formed due to eruptions in the area. However, this lava dome later collapsed, creating the caldera, about 16 million years ago.
In 2017, another group of researchers discovered evidence that a part of the caldera, called Thacker Pass, could be one of the largest sources of lithium ever found. Lithium Americas obtained a license to explore this area, which sparked controversy among local residents and Native American groups. Despite protests, the company achieved recognition of its right to operate a mine at this site.
Since then, the research team has been collecting and analyzing samples with the goal of finding the best place to start mining. Experts believe that to achieve this, they must first understand how lithium was formed in this area. In their paper, the researchers propose a theory that Lithium Americas plans to use in its mining operations.
According to this theory, after the volcanic eruption that generated lithium, a hydrothermal enrichment process occurred. Underground magma forced its way into the center of the caldera, causing mountains to form in Montana. As this occurred, faults and fractures were created that allowed lithium to seep to the surface. This process also transformed some of the mineral smectite into illite, two forms of lithium, found along the southern edge of the basin. This would explain why lithium is so abundant in the region.
As Lithium Americas prepares to exploit this resource, protests continue from local residents concerned about the environmental impact and tranquility of the area.
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