Lithium

SDO Services, a subsidiary of Midwest Lithium, plans to conduct exploratory drilling for lithium within the area outlined in red. The green lines are the city limits of Hill City. (Courtesy of Rapid Map/Pennington County)

Lithium exploration planned near Hill City

BY: - August 15, 2023

A company looking for lithium in the Black Hills is planning another drilling project, this time near the southern edge of Hill City.  The company is SDO Services, the South Dakota subsidiary of Swiss-based Midwest Lithium. Michael Schlumpberger works in Rapid City as Midwest Lithium’s chief operating officer. The company’s previously announced drilling plan, at […]

(South Dakota Searchlight map via Datawrapper)

Company looking for lithium in Black Hills plans to drill 2 miles from Rushmore

BY: - July 19, 2023

A company’s plan to conduct exploratory drilling for lithium in the vicinity of Mount Rushmore has sparked criticism from an environmental group. The company is Midwest Lithium. Its South Dakota subsidiary, SDO Services, plans to drill up to 55 holes in an area that was historically mined for lithium about 2 miles northwest of Keystone […]

Lobbyists in the halls of the South Dakota Capitol building in Pierre. (Joshua Haiar/South Dakota Searchlight)

Legislative roundup: Taxes and tribes, feedlots and lithium

BY: - January 27, 2023

PIERRE — Things really picked up at the Capitol this week, and deadlines had something to do with that. Lawmakers had free reign to submit as many bills as they pleased until 11 a.m. on Thursday, which meant dozens of bills dropped just before lunch that day. Check the list here. Each lawmaker can file […]

General Motors Co. announced plans to double revenue by 2030 with new battery-electric vehicles and hopes to surpass leading electric carmaker Tesla with the release of a new $30,000 electric SUV. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Bill to tax lithium as an energy mineral passes House

BY: - January 26, 2023

PIERRE – The South Dakota House of Representatives sent a bill classifying lithium as an energy mineral to the Senate on Thursday.  If passed, the re-classification would subject the high-demand mineral, used to power cell phones, laptops and electric vehicles, to the state’s severance tax. The severance tax is imposed on the extraction of natural […]