The News Release caught my eye, but:due diligence draws my concern to a couple things:
- there is no mention of any prior drill holes into the playa. None, not even a hydrogeologic drill by someone?
- the website visitwillcox.az.gov says that Sandhill Cranes enjoy the Willcox Basin from October through February.
- Tourists come from far away to New Mexico to see various winter migratory birds.
- The tourists are coralled into the Apache Station WIldlife Viewing Area, about 2-3 miles from MaxPower's lease.
- New Mexico's not exactlly mining friendly.
- The office of BLM with jurisdiction may be mining friendly, but the US process will allow community groups etc to make written opinion (like 'no mines, don't harm our birds; it's going to stir up dust.')
- Mining operations in playas create dust, and USEPA and BLM or USFS (whomever owns the land; and reviews applications for permits) will be concerned.
It's interesting that the company talks like it's looking at both Li-rich clays, and Li brines. It makes me think they should've analyzed their model and data better and chose one or the other for a first drill - or maybe they'll test both - or maybe they wanna project the idea that both a Li-clay deposit and a brine field are viable.
The brine field idea seems unlikely to be permitted, because pro-Sand Hill Crane groups and bird afficianados would probably assert that the induced groundwater flow of a brine operation would affect some marsh ecology, or intermittent ponds. We know the Sandhill Cranes aren't flying in to eat salt silt on the playa - there must be either ephemeral surface waters, or shallow groundwater to sustain plants and/or bugs for the cranes to eat.
their eologic model graphics show a nice, simple story. :)