Mining for the Climate

The Thacker Pass Mine brings many uncertainties to the region’s Indigenous and settler ranching communities. This episode features Susan Frey, a rancher in Orovada, and Gary McKinney, a Shoshone Paiute activist who lives on the Duck Valley Reservation. Together, Gary and Susan ask what resistance and survival look like in the long term. 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 Jessica Ng and Nate Otjen Hosted by Jessica Ng 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: Gary McKinney on Camp Peehee Mu’huh, Instagram, 2021 Attached Documents: U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, “Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Thacker Pass Lithium Mine Project,” September 2023 Lithium Americas, “Technical Report on the Thacker Pass Project, Humboldt County, NEVADA, USA,” December 2024 Copyright 2025 Nate Otjen, Jessica Ng and Blue Lab (bluelabmedia.org). All rights reserved.

The questions of who can access land and which uses are prioritized have become urgent and pervasive in northern Nevada. The federal government determines how public land is used and which entities have priority accessing it. This episode discusses how mining became prioritized over other forms of land use in the region and considers the implications of this history for present-day communities facing lithium mines. 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 Nate Otjen Hosted by Nate Otjen Sound design by Gianna Imparato Research and production team: Nate Otjen, Jessica Ng, Christopher Bao, and Jose Santacruz Music by Pixabay (www.pixabay.com) Copyright 2025 Nate Otjen, Jessica Ng and Blue Lab (bluelabmedia.org). All rights reserved.

Outsiders and those who are not connected to the land often see the desert West as barren and unpopulated. However, Indigenous peoples and other beings have coexisted with the land since time immemorial. In this episode, we hear from Native and non-Native people who have deep connections with the McDermitt Caldera. Together they are grappling with what the potential loss of these attachments means and fighting to protect them. 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 Hosted by Christopher Bao Sound design by Christoper Bao Research and production team: Nate Otjen, Jessica Ng, Christopher Bao, and Jose Santacruz Music by Pixabay (www.pixabay.com) and Xeno-Canto (www.xeno-canto.com)  Copyright 2025 Nate Otjen, Jessica Ng and Blue Lab (bluelabmedia.org). All rights reserved.

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.

The road ahead for the Carolina Lithium project seems uncertain. In this final episode, we look at the greatest obstacle confronting Piedmont Lithium: convincing the Gaston County Board of Commissioners to approve their rezoning request. Mining for the Climate is a co-creation of Nate Otjen and Juan Manuel Rubio. It's a production of Blue Lab at Princeton University. Episode Credits: Written by Nate Otjen Hosted by Nate Otjen Sound design by Nate Otjen and Juan Manuel Rubio Research and production team: Max Widmann, Alex Norbrook, Grace Wang, Nate Otjen and Juan Manuel Rubio Music by Purple Planet (www.purple-planet.com), Shake that Little Foot and Pryor Meadows Shady Grove by Shake That Little Foot is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 International License Audio Clip Credits More Mobility with Less Mining, Climate and Community, 2023  Copyright 2023 Nate Otjen, Juan Manuel Rubio and Blue Lab (bluelabmedia.org). All rights reserved.

Many residents of Gaston County make their living through farming and ranching. We meet a cattle and a horse rancher whose livelihoods and animals are threatened by the mine. Both women are doing everything in their power to stop the mine and maintain their way of life. Mining for the Climate is a co-creation of Nate Otjen and Juan Manuel Rubio. It's a production of Blue Lab at Princeton University. Episode Credits: Written by Grace Wang Hosted by Grace Wang Sound design by Grace Wang and Juan Manuel Rubio Research and production team: Max Widmann, Alex Norbrook, Grace Wang, Nate Otjen and Juan Manuel Rubio Music by Purple Planet (www.purple-planet.com), Shake that Little Foot, Pryor Meadows and Olexy Shady Grove by Shake That Little Foot is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 International License Copyright 2023 Nate Otjen, Juan Manuel Rubio and Blue Lab (bluelabmedia.org). All rights reserved.

Like a body, a mine has its own metabolism. It consumes water, trees and energy, and it releases chemicals, carbon and wastewater. These metabolic processes are supposed to be hidden: few want to see, hear, smell or taste a mine in operation. Unearthing the body of the mine, we ask how Piedmont Lithium highlights certain aspects of the mine’s processes while directing attention away from others. Mining for the Climate is a co-creation of Nate Otjen and Juan Manuel Rubio. It's a production of Blue Lab at Princeton University. Episode Credits: Written by Alex Norbrook and Juan Manuel Rubio Hosted by Alex Norbrook Sound design by Juan Manuel Rubio Research and production team: Max Widmann, Alex Norbrook, Grace Wang, Nate Otjen and Juan Manuel Rubio Music by Purple Planet (www.purple-planet.com), Shake that Little Foot and Pryor Meadows Shady Grove by Shake That Little Foot is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 International License Audio Clip Credits: Gaston County Board of Commissioners July 20, 2021, Gaston County Government, 2021 Copyright 2023 Nate Otjen, Juan Manuel Rubio and Blue Lab (bluelabmedia.org). All rights reserved.

Building a mine requires a substantial amount of land. This episode investigates the tactics used by Piedmont Lithium to accumulate a critical amount of land for its operations. We take listeners to visit burned-out houses and empty lots and to meet the neighbors who sold and those who remain. Mining for the Climate is a co-creation of Nate Otjen and Juan Manuel Rubio. It’s a production of Blue Lab at Princeton University. Episode Credits: Written by Max Widmann Hosted by Max Widmann Sound design by Juan Manuel Rubio Research and production team: Max Widmann, Alex Norbrook, Grace Wang, Nate Otjen and Juan Manuel Rubio Music by Purple Planet (www.purple-planet.com), Shake that Little Foot and Pryor Meadows Shady Grove by Shake That Little Foot is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 International License Audio Clip Credits: Senator Thom Tillis at Piedmont Lithium HQ Open House, Piedmont Lithium, 2022 Gaston County Board of Commissioners October 24, 2023 Meeting, Gaston County Government, 2023 Copyright 2023 Nate Otjen, Juan Manuel Rubio and Blue Lab (bluelabmedia.org). All rights reserved.

A few stories about critical minerals have dominated the news lately: “We must mine to save the planet;” “China is taking over rare-earth elements;” “EVs are leading the green revolution.” These stories lay the groundwork for a future that is unquestionably mining intensive. However, does every mine need to be built? The proposed lithium mine in Gaston County, North Carolina, has not broken ground and it’s already causing significant disruptions for residents. So how dangerous is the idea of a mine? Season 1 of Mining for the Climate is a co-creation of Nate Otjen and Juan Manuel Rubio. It’s a production of Blue Lab at Princeton University. Episode Credits: Written by Juan Manuel Rubio Hosted by Juan Manuel Rubio Sound design by Juan Manuel Rubio Research and production team: Max Widmann, Alex Norbrook, Grace Wang, Nate Otjen and Juan Manuel Rubio Music by Purple Planet (www.purple-planet.com) and Pryor Meadows Audio Clip Credits: A Look At Lithium Mining, CNN, 2022 Behind the First All-Electric Truck Company, Rivian, CBS Mornings, 2022 Chevron Back in Court for Worst Case of Oil Pollution on the Planet, The Real News Network, 2015 Critical Mineral Mining Sees Unprecedented Growth Fueled by Clean Energy Demand, CNBC, 2023 How Critical Minerals Are Vital to the Climate Fight, ABC News, 2022 In Major Win for Indigenous Rights, Ecuador Votes to Ban Oil Drilling in Protected Amazon Lands, Democracy Now, 2023 Last Look: The Green Transition Will Trigger a New Race for Natural Resources, CNN, 2022 Neighbors Speak out against Piedmont Lithium Mine Plan, 2021  Special Report : Inside the Congo Cobalt Mines That Exploit Children, Sky News, 2017 Copyright 2023 Nate Otjen, Juan Manuel Rubio and Blue Lab (bluelabmedia.org). All rights reserved.