The U.S. Interior Department on Thursday gave final approval to ioneer's Rhyolite Ridge lithium mine in Nevada, the first domestic source of the battery metal to be permitted by President Joe Biden's administration and one that will become a key supplier to Ford and other electric vehicle manufacturers.

For the first time under President Joe Biden, a federal permit for a new lithium mine in the U.S. has been approved.

Some environmentalists worry the Rhyolite Ridge Lithium-Boron Project could drive a rare wildflower to extinction, highlighting the trade-offs of the energy transition.