Lithium Americas

company

Lithium Americas

Type: Company | Ticker: LAC (NYSE) | Sub-theme: Lithium (US project)

Lithium Americas (post-2023 split from Lithium Argentina) is developing Thacker Pass in Nevada — the largest known lithium deposit in the US and the first planned commercial-scale clay lithium extraction project in the world. The project has DoE loan support and a strategic investment from General Motors.

Thacker Pass — Key Facts (as of May 2026)

  • Location: Humboldt County, Nevada
  • Deposit type: Sedimentary clay lithium (Hectorite) — novel process vs. conventional brine/hard-rock
  • Revised capex: ~$2.93B (up from $2.27B due to engineering updates, union labor agreement, worker housing)
  • 2026 capex guidance: $1.3B-$1.6B
  • Target production: 80,000 t/yr LCE (battery-quality lithium carbonate), two phases
  • Peak construction employment: ~1,800 skilled workers expected by end-2026
  • Strategic investors: General Motors (battery supply agreement); DoE loan
  • Status (May 2026): Under construction

Strategic Significance

Thacker Pass is the US government's best near-term bet on domestic lithium production at scale. Its clay lithium process has no direct commercial precedent — making execution risk high but also meaning it doesn't compete with existing brine chemistry. Success would add ~80,000 t/yr LCE to US domestic supply, covering roughly 5-7% of projected 2030 US battery demand.

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