- Business
- Lithium Americas Corp. (TSX: LAC; NYSE: LAC) develops, constructs, and operates lithium deposits and chemical processing facilities in the United States, with a primary focus on its flagship Thacker Pass project located in Humboldt County, northern Nevada. The company advances Thacker Pass, the world's largest known measured lithium resource and reserve in the McDermitt Caldera, to produce battery-quality lithium carbonate via a shallow open-pit mine and processing facility; Phase 1 targets 40,000 tonnes per year of lithium carbonate equivalent, with potential expansion to 160,000 tonnes over five phases and an 85-year mine life. Products include high-purity lithium carbonate for battery cathode production and lithium hydroxide monohydrate for nickel-rich cathodes, serving electric vehicle manufacturers, battery producers, and energy storage providers in North American critical minerals supply chains. Incorporated in 2023 following a corporate separation from its former Argentine assets now held by Lithium Argentina, Lithium Americas is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada. Recent developments include a joint venture with General Motors for funding, construction, and operation of Thacker Pass, under which GM holds a 36-38% stake, exclusive offtake rights to Phase 1 production for 20 years, and a $625 million investment; a $2.26 billion U.S. Department of Energy ATVM loan at Treasury rates for Phase 1, with first draw expected in late 2025; a 5% U.S. government equity stake in both the company and the Thacker Pass JV announced in October 2025; and a $250 million strategic investment from Orion Resource Partners in March 2025 via convertible notes and production payments, fully funding Phase 1 construction through 2027 and enabling a final investment decision. Construction at Thacker Pass commenced in March 2023, targeting initial production in 2027-2028, with operations supported by the company's ISO-9001:2015-certified Lithium Technical Development Center in Reno, Nevada, validating continuous-production flowsheets from ore recycles.