Environmentalists appeal judge's ruling for ioneer's Nevada lithium project

Ioneer

08/04/2026 21:17

April 8 (Reuters) - Environmental groups on Wednesday appealed a federal judge's ruling in favor of ioneer's INR.AX Rhyolite Ridge lithium and boron project, alleging the proposed Nevada mine would cause a rare wildflower to go extinct.

Here are some details:

• The Biden administration approved the mine in 2024, saying its decision was "science-based."

• A federal judge last month rejected claims by environmentalists that the U.S. ​government improperly approved the project.

• On Wednesday, Great Basin Resource Watch, the Center for Biological Diversity and the Western Shoshone Defense Project appealed that ruling to the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, saying the mine's approval was "flawed from the start."

• "Especially given the current global biodiversity loss crisis, it is dangerous to allow the Rhyolite Ridge Mine to proceed," said John Hadder with Great Basin Resource Watch, an environmental group.

• Australia-based ioneer said it was confident the judge's ruling would stand on appeal.

"We stand by the rigorous, years-long review that underpins our approved federal permit," said ioneer spokesperson Chad Yeftich.

• No hearing date has been set for the appeal.

• Shares of ioneer traded in New York gained about 1% on Wednesday.

 (Reporting by Ernest Scheyder; Editing by Aurora Ellis)

 ((ernest.scheyder@thomsonreuters.com; X: @ErnestScheyder; +1-469-691-7667; Reuters Messaging: ernest.scheyder.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))