Federal land managers gave their final approval Thursday for a massive lithium-boron mine in Southern Nevada, becoming the first domestic lithium project to get full regulatory approval under the Biden Administration.

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

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.