A piece of searlesite, a rock that contains both lithium and boron, is displayed during a visit to the Rhyolite Ridge Project Lithium-Boron mining project site in Rhyolite Ridge, Nevada on May 7, 2024. After years of studies, planning and financing, Ioneer’s proposed mine is on the verge of being a reality, with only Tiehm’s Buckwheat, a rare wildflower endemic to the region and recently added to the Endangered Species Act list of protected species, standing in the way of the project. If approved, Ioneer says lithium mined at Rhyolite Ridge will help power upward of 50 million electric vehicles over the mine's 26-year lifetime. (Photo by Robyn Beck / AFP)