"The Fish and Wildlife Service has launched an in-depth study of whether a teensy-tiny snail that inhabits springs in a small slice of lithium-rich Nevada desert should enjoy federal protections under the Endangered Species Act.

The probe will consider effects tied to the massive Thacker Pass lithium mine near Nevada’s border with Oregon, currently envisioned as a major source of the material that’s a crucial component of electric vehicle batteries.

Following an initial assessment of a petition filed by the Western Watersheds Project, the federal agency announced in the Federal Register on Thursday that it will initiate a full-bore, 12-month study of whether the Kings River pyrg warrants listing as a threatened or endangered species."

Hannah Northey and Michael Doyle report for E&E News February 8, 2024. [2]