Heavy machinery is used to create the West Pond, a habitat pond, at the Species Conservation Habitat Project at the south end of the Salton Sea, Calif., Sept. 13, 2024.
Salton Sea, California – A colossal lithium discovery beneath California’s Salton Sea has ignited a race to unlock what some are calling America’s best shot at lithium independence. The U.S. Department of Energy confirmed in late 2023 that roughly 18 million metric tons of lithium—valued at around $540 billion—lie trapped in the geothermal brine below the shrinking lake in Imperial Valley.
The find, among the world’s largest lithium brine deposits, could produce enough for 375 million electric vehicle batteries. Experts say it could make the U.S. self-sufficient in lithium, a key component in batteries, smartphones, and renewable energy storage.
“This is one of the largest lithium brine deposits in the world,” said Michael McKibben, a geologist at UC Riverside. “It could make the U.S. completely self-sufficient and stop importing through China.”
Governor Gavin Newsom has dubbed the region “Lithium Valley,” while federal officials tout its potential to cement U.S. leadership in clean energy. Three companies—Controlled Thermal Resources (CTR), EnergySource Minerals, and Berkshire Hathaway Energy Renewables—are leading development near the Salton Sea.
CTR’s flagship Hell’s Kitchen project was recently cleared to proceed after a California judge ruled its environmental review met legal standards. But local nonprofits like Comite Civico del Valle (CCV) and Earthworks argue the approval process ignored key environmental and community concerns. They’ve filed an appeal.
“This is already a degraded region,” said Luis Olmedo, Executive Director of CCV. “We’re talking about a desert area with high asthma rates, polluted air, and water cuts from the Colorado River. A project of this scale can’t be rubber-stamped.”
Critics worry about dust pollution, water consumption, hazardous waste, and the risk of seismic activity. Although developers promise a “closed-loop system” that won’t pollute air or landfills, many remain skeptical.
James Blair, a geography professor at Cal Poly Pomona, called the extraction technology “untested at scale” and said the review lacks clarity on potential emissions like hydrogen sulfide or radon.
Still, state leaders remain bullish. They view Salton Sea lithium as essential to California’s EV transition goals. Local officials are also pushing to reinvest up to 80% of revenues into Imperial Valley—one of the state’s poorest areas.
Rodney Colwell, CTR’s CEO, expects construction to begin within months and insists the technology is the “cleanest lithium process on the planet.”
Meanwhile, CCV and others are demanding stronger safeguards. “We will exhaust all available legal and public policy channels,” said Olmedo, “to ensure the people and environment of Imperial Valley are not left behind.”
