VALE, OR –  The Bureau of Land Management has approved the expansion of lithium exploration activities in eastern Oregon near the Nevada border.

HiTech Minerals, Inc. is authorized to conduct lithium exploration over the next five years on public lands covering 7,200 acres. The project will include up to 168 drill sites, 22 miles of new access routes, and other temporary disturbances to store equipment, impacting up to 73 acres in total.

Drilling is scheduled from July 1 through November 30, with reclamation of disturbed areas occurring after each season. The project may also involve the collection of subsurface hydrological, geophysical, and geochemical data.

“Tara McLain, Acting Malheur Field Manager for the BLM, said the project represents a step toward achieving national energy goals and reducing dependence on foreign critical minerals,” according to the BLM. Lithium has been listed as a critical mineral by the Department of the Interior since 2017.