Global demand for minerals is surging, primarily driven by the shift to renewable energy, with rapid growth in AI-related data centers adding further pressure. The accelerating extraction of these so-called “critical minerals” – such as lithium, nickel, and cobalt – is fueling patterns of exploitation and harm that echo historical injustices. Amnesty International’s research shows that communities in the Philippines and the Democratic Republic of the Congo are already experiencing severe harms linked to energy transition mining, including pollution, violations of the right to self-determination, restricted access to ancestral lands, threats to cultural practices, displacement, and loss of livelihoods.
Nevada is central to meeting the USA’s demand for lithium, holding around 85% of the country’s known reserves.
While only one lithium mine is currently operational, the scale and pace of planned expansion are striking: as of September 2024, more than 23,500 active lithium claims had been registered across the state. Lithium extraction and processing in Nevada’s arid high desert environment carry environmental risks, including groundwater depletion, contamination, and biodiversity loss – with impacts on the rights to water, health, culture, and a clean, healthy and sustainable environment.
In the race to secure so-called “critical minerals,” the U.S. has increasingly prioritized speed over rights protections.
Under the Trump administration, deregulation has accelerated this shift: executive orders have increased support for “critical mineral” projects while weakening regulatory safeguards by fast-tracking permits and limiting the scope of environmental review. These measures erode meaningful consultation, restrict opportunities for affected communities to participate, and enable projects to advance despite unresolved human rights concerns.
This briefing builds on Amnesty International’s ongoing investigations into human rights abuses associated with the extraction of minerals.
It draws on research conducted between August 2025 and March 2026 and focuses on three lithium mining projects in Nevada: Thacker Pass Lithium Mine, Nevada North Lithium Project, and Rhyolite Ridge Lithium Project.
Read “We’re Here to Protect Mother Earth”: Indigenous Rights and Nevada’s Lithium Boom.