Utah state officials reissued a key water permit for a lithium extraction project near the Green River, overruling concerns raised by conservation advocates and federal agencies.
Utah State Engineer Teresa Wilhelmsen on Thursday approved the use of nearly 4.5 billion gallons of brine water by Blackstone Minerals for its Green River Lithium Project.
“There is reason to believe that this project, constructed under the laws, rules and regulations of the appropriate state and federal agencies, which have primary jurisdiction to address the concerns raised by the protestants, will not be detrimental to public welfare,” Wilhelmsen wrote, although she acknowledged the “the public safety concerns regarding well construction and prevention of contamination due to industrial processes are significant.”
The firm, a subsidiary of Australian company Anson Resources, plans to draw water from an aquifer system deep below the surface as part of a direct lithium extraction project.
