MALHEUR COUNTY, Ore. — The Bureau of Land Management has approved a major expansion of lithium exploration in southern Malheur County, clearing the way for HiTech Minerals, Inc. to begin a five-year exploration effort west of McDermitt, Nevada, across roughly 7,200 acres of public land.

The decision allows the company to explore for the mineral, which the Department of the Interior has deemed “critical” since 2017.

The project includes the creation of up to 168 drill sites and 22 miles of new access routes, disturbing up to 73 acres in total.

Temporary sites will also be built to store equipment during the drilling seasons.

BLM Acting Malheur Field Manager Tara McLain said the project aligns with national priorities around clean energy and reducing reliance on foreign mineral suppl

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