US Approval of Lithium Mine May Need Remedy, Judge Says (1)

The remedy in a suit over a proposed lithium mine in Nevada could be somewhere between calls for scrapping the plan and letting it proceed—requiring the federal land bureau to correct errors in its review, the judge hearing oral argument in the case said Thursday.

The case reflects a major battle over new US mining projects that aim to supply the accelerating demand for batteries for the electric vehicle industry. Lithium, the lightest metal, is currently a key ingredient in batteries and consumer electronics, setting off a scramble in recent months to find more sources of it.

Attorneys for environmental ...