The U.S. Department of Defense has awarded $11.8 million to Lithium Nevada Corporation to expedite the extraction and processing of lithium carbonate. This funding, provided through the Defense Production Act Investment (DPAI) office, aligns with the 2024 National Defense Industrial Strategy’s goal to enhance domestic production of critical minerals.
Dr. Laura Taylor-Kale, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Base Policy, emphasized the importance of securing reliable and sustainable domestic supplies of strategic materials like lithium carbonate, essential for manufacturing large-capacity batteries. “This award helps do just that, facilitating the acceleration and expansion of Lithium Nevada’s existing capabilities to meet growing demand,” said Taylor-Kale.
The grant will enable Lithium Nevada to upgrade infrastructure at its Thacker Pass lithium mine in McDermitt Caldera, Humboldt County, Nevada. As a subsidiary of Lithium Americas Corp., the company will use the funding to test, demonstrate, accelerate, and scale up its lithium carbonate extraction process, aiming to produce commercial-scale quantities of battery-grade lithium carbonate.
According to the Pentagon’s press release, this investment will help address the United States’ increasing need for large-capacity lithium batteries, which are critical components in many Department of Defense systems. This initiative is part of a broader strategy to ensure the U.S. can meet its strategic material needs domestically, reducing reliance on foreign sources and bolstering national security. 
