Lithium Americas Confirms Oral Hearing Schedule for the Thacker Pass Record of Decision Appeal
Lithium Americas Confirms Oral Hearing Schedule for the Thacker Pass
Record of Decision Appeal
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Oct. 07, 2022 -- Lithium Americas Corp. (TSX: LAC) (NYSE: LAC) (“Lithium Americas”
or the “Company”) provides an update on the appeal of the issuance of the Record of Decision (“ROD”) for the Thacker Pass
lithium project (“Thacker Pass” or the “Project”), located in Humboldt County, Nevada. Following the completion of briefings
on August 11, 2022, the US District Court, District of Nevada (“ Federal Court ”) has scheduled an oral hearing for January 5,
2023.
"With all state and federal permits received to begin construction, the ruling on Thacker Pass’ ROD represents the final
regulatory hurdle to move forward the largest and most advanced lithium chemicals project in the US,” said Jonathan Evans,
President and CEO. “We stand ready to develop a critical source of lithium supply, creating jobs and enabling a more
sustainable battery ecosystem in North America. As we await a ruling by the Federal Court, we are moving ahead with all
areas required to support construction, including final selection of an EPCM contractor, evaluating partnership and supply
agreements, as well as progressing our application with the US Department of Energy loan program.”
Since 2021, all four injunction requests related to the Company’s plan to begin cultural assessment required in the ROD were
denied by the Federal Court, and a subsequent motion to reconsider was also denied. In June 2022, the Nevada State
Environmental Commission unanimously upheld the Company’s approved Water Pollution Control Permit for Thacker Pass by
denying an appeal in a 5-0 ruling.
From April to July 2022, as part of the Environmental Impact Statement (“ EIS”) issued by the Bureau of Land Management
(“BLM”), analysis of the project site was successfully completed with no archeological significant areas identified at Thacker
Pass. The work, including a cultural inventory across approximately 13,000 acres, was conducted by Far Western
Anthropological Research Group, with the oversight and assistance of 11 members of the Fort McDermitt Paiute and
Shoshone Tribe (the “ Tribe”). Lithium Americas continues to work closely with the Tribe and is committed to providing
additional benefits and job training for long-term, highly skilled careers in the emerging North American battery supply chain.
ABOUT LITHIUM AMERICAS
Lithium Americas is focused on advancing lithium projects in Argentina and the United States to production. In Argentina,
Caucharí-Olaroz is advancing towards first production and Pastos Grandes represents regional growth. In the United States,
Thacker Pass has received its ROD and is advancing towards construction. The Company trades on both the Toronto Stock
Exchange and on the New York Stock Exchange, under the ticker symbol “LAC”.
For further information contact:
Investor Relations
Telephone: +1-778-656-5820
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.lithiumamericas.com
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This news release contains “forward-looking information” and “forward-looking statements” (which we refer to collectively as
“forward-looking information”) under the provisions of applicable securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of
historical fact, are forward-looking information. Examples of forward-looking information in this news release include, among
other things, statements related to: management’s views regarding the expected benefits of Thacker Pass; expected timing
and outcome of litigation and regulatory proceedings concerning the Thacker Pass project; and the successful development of
the Caucharí-Olaroz project, the Thacker Pass project and the Pastos Grandes project.
Forward-looking information is based upon a number of factors and assumptions that, if untrue, could cause the actual results,
performances or achievements of the Company to be materially different from future results, performances or achievements
expressed or implied by such information. Such information reflects the Company’s current views with respect to future events
and is necessarily based upon a number of assumptions that, while considered reasonable by the Company today, are
inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies. These assumptions include, among others, the following:
ability of the Company to fund, advance, develop and achieve production at any of its projects; anticipated timing and results of
exploration, development and construction activities; a cordial business relationship between the Company and Ganfeng for
the Caucharí-Olaroz project; uncertainties related to receiving and maintaining mining, exploration, environmental and other
permits or approvals in Nevada and Argentina, and resolving any complaints or litigation concerning environmental permitting
processes; continued community and tribal support for the Company and its projects; stable and supportive legislative,
regulatory and community environments in the jurisdictions where the Company operates; the Company’s ability to operate in
a safe and effective manner, including anticipated impact of COVID-19 on the Company and its projects; capital costs and
operating costs estimation for the Company’s projects; accuracy of mineral resources and mineral reserves estimation; the
Company’s ability to fund its development programs through debt or equity financing, including through government funding;
results of the Company’s engineering, design and permitting program and feasibility study preparation for the Thacker Pass
project; demand for lithium, including that such demand is supported by continued growth in the electric vehicle market;
technological advances and changes; the Company’s ability to produce battery grade lithium products; the impact of
increasing competition in the lithium business, and the Company’s competitive position in the industry; changes to the
Company’s current and future business plans and the strategic alternatives available to the Company; and general economic
and stock market conditions.
Forward-looking information also involves known and unknown risks that may cause actual results to differ materially. These
risks include, among others, inherent risks in the development of capital intensive mineral projects (including as co-owners),
variations in mineral resources and mineral reserves, changes in cost estimation including in an inflationary environment,
global demand for lithium, recovery rates and lithium pricing, risks associated with successfully securing adequate financing,
including the outcome of the Company’s Department of Energy loan application, changes in project parameters and funding
thereof, risks related to growth of lithium markets and pricing for lithium products, changes in legislation, regulation, and
governmental or community policy, changes in public perception concerning mining projects generally and opposition thereto,
political risk associated with the rise in nationalistic sentiment and related regulatory reviews, risks associated with foreign
operations generally, permitting risk, including receipt of new permits and maintenance of existing permits, outcomes of
litigation and regulatory processes concerning the Company’s projects, title and access risk, cost overruns, unpredictable
weather and maintenance of natural resources, unanticipated delays, intellectual property risks, currency and interest rate
fluctuations, operational risks, health and safety risks, cybersecurity risks, economic conditions, and general market and
industry conditions. Additional risks, assumptions and other factors are set out in the Company’s most recent annual
management discussion analysis and annual information form, copies of which are available under the Company’s profile on
SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on the SEC website at www.sec.gov.
Although the Company has attempted to identify important risks and assumptions, given the inherent uncertainties in such
forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results to differ materially. Forward-looking information is
made as of the date hereof and the Company does not intend, and expressly disclaims any obligation to, update or revise the
forward-looking information contained in this news release, except as required by law. Accordingly, readers are cautioned not
to place undue reliance on such forward-looking information.