The Idaho Cobalt Belt is known for its cobalt deposits, which are important for lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles and other technology. The Jervois Global company has been involved in cobalt mining in Idaho.
The US government, through the Department of Defense, has provided funding to Jervois Global for the development of cobalt mining and refining operations in Idaho. This funding is part of a broader effort to secure domestic sources of critical minerals, including cobalt, which are essential for various industries, including defense, electric vehicles, and renewable energy technologies.
Specifically, the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Industrial Base Policy entered into an agreement with Jervois Mining USA, a subsidiary of Jervois Global Limited, to conduct feasibility studies to expand cobalt extraction in Idaho.
The agreement, worth $15 million, was funded under the Defense Production Act (DPA) Title III authorities and utilized funds appropriated by the Additional Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act.
This funding will enable Jervois to undertake mineral resource drilling to accelerate the definition and expansion of known cobalt resources in Idaho, as well as studies to assess the feasibility of a domestic US cobalt refinery.
The project is seen as a critical step in the US effort to decrease reliance on overseas sources of strategic and critical minerals, particularly cobalt, which has important applications in high-capacity batteries for military and commercial electric vehicles.
However, there are reports that approximately 200 public servants invested in Jervois Global company after the U.S. government funded the company with $15 million.
Very interesting… Money sent to Ukraine is being used for Cobalt mining in Idaho.
— Bad Kitty Unleashed 🦁 (@pepesgrandma) June 18, 2024
Lots of congress members own stock in this cobalt mine.
Cobalt mining uses lots of water.
The farmers in Idaho were told that there is a water shortage and they were being shut off.
The… https://t.co/tr1K3iUP85
Coincidence? Are these events related? Idaho farmers
I Hope This Makes The Idaho Water Shutoff To Farmers Real For People
— Wall Street Apes (@WallStreetApes) June 21, 2024
🚨 Idaho is fining Farmers $300 PER ACRE for using water
Farmers are already declaring bankruptcy
Here are 2 farmers from eastern Idaho who have just received their water shutoff orders
“We just got our… pic.twitter.com/ymjswNCOhd
Idaho farmers are facing significant challenges due to a water curtailment order issued by the Idaho Department of Water Resources. This order could potentially affect hundreds of thousands of acres of farmland, leading to economic losses in the hundreds of millions of dollars.
The curtailment is part of a broader water management strategy in Idaho, where water rights are governed by the doctrine of prior appropriation, which means “first in time, first in right.” This means that when there isn’t enough water to go around, senior water rights holders get their water first, and junior water rights holders are shut off.
The Idaho Groundwater Appropriators, an organization representing farmers within the nine groundwater districts in eastern Idaho, and groundwater districts individually, have offered to deliver water stored in reservoirs to offset the effects of their groundwater use, as they have in years past. However, the Idaho Department of Water Resources has issued the curtailment order, which could lead to significant impacts on the agricultural community in Idaho.
The situation is complex and has led to discussions about the balance between water needs for agriculture and other uses, including mining. There have been concerns raised about potential links between cobalt mining in Idaho and the water supply to local farms. Some reports suggest that water restrictions or shut-offs affecting Idaho farmers may be related to the water needs of cobalt mining operations in the area.