Nevada stands as a powerhouse for the materials that keep modern life running. The state holds known deposits of 33 out of the 50 minerals that the United States classes as critical. These resources sit at the heart of everything from batteries to defence systems.
That stature came into focus last week when the University of Nevada, Reno brought government leaders and industry figures together for a critical minerals roundtable. Wildfires led the governor to declare an emergency and forced organisers to postpone a larger planned summit, so the university pulled together a focused roundtable discussion within hours instead. Lithium took centre stage, as speakers examined how to secure supplies, protect national security and cut reliance on overseas sources. Talk also turned to stronger ties between government, companies and researchers so that projects move forward faster and more smoothly.
Among those present were Rachael Overbey, chief of staff for the Department of Energy’s Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation, Nevada Division of Minerals administrator Rob Ghiglieri, Assistant Secretary of Energy Audrey Robertson, Lithium Americas Corp (TSE: LAC) (NYSE: LAC) (FRA: WUC) chief executive Jonathan Evans, and Nevada Battery Coalition director Caleb Gage. Evans leads development of the Thacker Pass project in northern Nevada, one of the largest known measured lithium resources in the world. The site aims to deliver large volumes of battery-grade material and stands as a cornerstone of American efforts to build domestic supply.
The gathering builds directly on recent federal support. The Trump administration agreed to allocate US$180 million to mining schools across the country last month, including the Mackay School of Mines at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR). Mackay has trained geologists, engineers and mining professionals for well over a century. Its graduates help power Nevada’s industry and the wider national effort to extract and process vital materials at home.
“This [federal money] is potentially a massive benefit to the university and to the mining industry and thus the economy in the state,” UNR President Brian Sandoval told the Reno Gazette Journal.
Nevada’s importance stretches well beyond lithium. Companies are pushing forward with antimony and tungsten. NevGold Corp (CVE: NAU) (OTCMKTS: NAUFF) (FRA: 5E50) currently holds one of the only antimony sites in the U.S. on track toward production next year, located in White Pine County. At the same time, record prices have sparked a clear resurgence in tungsten exploration across the state. Efforts like these reinforce Nevada’s place as a central player in securing many of the materials America needs.
“Data centres. Power. Processing. Metals. Recycling. Manufacturing. Heavy industry and advanced technology popping up everywhere. There is a LOT happening in Nevada,” said Overbey.
Read more: NevGold files technical report backing Limousine Butte gold-antimony resource
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