Environmental groups have appealed a recent court ruling that allowed ioneer’s Rhyolite Ridge lithium-boron project in Nevada to proceed, intensifying a high-stakes legal battle over critical mineral development and environmental protection.
The appeal was filed in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit by organizations including the Center for Biological Diversity, Great Basin Resource Watch, and the Western Shoshone Defense Project. The groups argue that the federal approval of the project was flawed and could cause irreversible ecological damage.
At the center of the dispute is the potential impact on Tiehm’s buckwheat, a rare wildflower found only in a small area within the proposed mining site. Environmentalists claim the project could drive the species toward extinction, especially amid a broader global biodiversity crisis.
The appeal follows a federal judge’s decision last month that rejected claims the U.S. government improperly approved the project. The court ruled that regulators had adequately assessed environmental risks and imposed sufficient mitigation measures.
The project, backed by the U.S. government as part of efforts to boost domestic supply of lithium—a key component in electric vehicle batteries—has been positioned as strategically important for energy transition goals. However, it has faced sustained opposition from conservation groups concerned about habitat destruction and ecological risks.
Ioneer, the Australia-based company behind the project, has expressed confidence that the earlier ruling will be upheld on appeal, citing a “rigorous, years-long review” process behind the federal permit.
No hearing date has been set yet for the appeal, leaving the future of the project uncertain as legal proceedings continue.