Across the region, Indigenous nations have been resisting critical mineral mining. Last week, two tribal leaders from Nevada traveled to Canada to call for action against Canadian mining companies drilling for lithium on their land.
A report from nonprofit Amnesty International found that lithium mining companies in Nevada are violating Indigenous Peoples' human rights.
Fermina Stevens and Mary Gibson are enrolled members of the Te-Moak Tribe of Western Shoshone in Nevada. They spoke during a press conference at Canada's Parliament Hill.
"A lot of mining is being done on our ancestral territory and within our treaty boundaries," Gibson said. "With the lithium min[ing] explosion happening, our land will be more toxic than it is today from other types of mining that [are] happening."
Lithium Americas' senior vice president, Tim Crowley, told KNPR that he disagrees with Amnesty International's characterization of any wrongdoing near Thacker Pass.
The mining company said it is not mining within Indian country, has received all approvals from the Bureau of Land Management, and has an agreement with the Fort McDermitt Paiute-Shoshone Tribe.
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