Nevada has a long history of mining. In the last decade, the state has positioned itself as the leading producer of lithium in the United States. This episode looks at how the recent approval of the Thacker Pass Lithium Mine in northern Nevada foreshadows larger efforts to turn the region into what some activists and scholars term an energy colony.

Mining for the Climate is a co-creation of Nate Otjen and Jessica Ng. It’s a production of Blue Lab at Princeton University.

Episode Credits:

Written by Christopher Bao and Nate Otjen

Hosted by Jessica Ng and Jose Santacruz

Sound design by Gianna Imparato

Research and production team: Nate Otjen, Jessica Ng, Christopher Bao and Jose Santacruz

Music by Pixabay (www.pixabay.com)

Audio Clip Credits:

US Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm Talks Industrial Strategy in Reno, 2NewsNevada, 2024

Copyright 2025 Nate Otjen, Jessica Ng and Blue Lab (bluelabmedia.org). All rights reserved.