Amnesty International Report Warns Nevada Lithium Mining Violates Indigenous Rights

As the Trump administration accelerates efforts to secure critical minerals like lithium, the U.S. government and private corporations have allegedly disregarded the rights of Indigenous peoples in Nevada, according to a report released today by Amnesty International.

The report urges the suspension of federal permits for all lithium mines in Nevada, where approximately 85 percent of the country’s known lithium reserves are located. The mineral is essential for electric vehicle and other battery production.

For years, Indigenous nations, organizations, and environmentalists have opposed lithium extraction in Nevada due to environmental risks, including water contamination and biodiversity loss.

“This is our land,” said Fermina Stevens, a member of the Te-Moak Tribe of Western Shoshone and executive director of the Western Shoshone Defense Project. “We should have a say in what happens. But I know that they don’t want us there because Nevada is so rich in all of these minerals.”

Amnesty International’s report highlights three projects:

• Thacker Pass Lithium Mine – Currently under construction
• Nevada North Lithium Project – In the exploratory phase
• Rhyolite Ridge Lithium-Boron Project – Slated to begin construction this year

All three projects are located primarily on public land that the Western Shoshone and Paiute peoples consider unceded territory. The report states that each violates Indigenous peoples’ right to free, prior, and informed consent (FPIC), an international standard requiring Indigenous approval for projects impacting their land and communities.

Although federal agencies approved the projects, Amnesty International argues that the review processes failed to meet FPIC standards and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).

“They’ve got to come down on the right side,” said Mark Dummett, Amnesty International’s head of business and human rights. “They’ve got to come down on the side of human rights, rather than getting the minerals at all costs.” He emphasized that companies must adhere to international human rights standards, regardless of domestic laws.

The report also criticizes the Trump administration’s deregulation efforts, which included fast-tracked permits and limited environmental reviews, further restricting Indigenous peoples’ ability to provide full consent.

In response, a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Interior stated: “The climate crazed activists behind this report are notorious for making baseless claims, repeatedly rejected by courts, as part of their pathetic rage against energy production that is not only bipartisan, but proven to benefit the American people.” The spokesperson also claimed that the Bureau of Land Management conducted extensive environmental reviews and provided opportunities for tribal engagement.

Nevada’s lithium boom has seen over 20,000 claims filed, coinciding with global resistance from Indigenous communities opposing the so-called “green transition.”