By Ernest Scheyder
June 11 (Reuters) - Lithium Americas Corp has delayed plans to excavate its Thacker Pass lithium mine site in Nevada, according to court filings, while a federal judge considers whether the former Trump administration erred in approving the project that opponents say could threaten sage grouse and other wildlife.
The delay is the latest setback for the U.S. critical minerals industry as environmentalists pressure courts and regulators to block mining projects from a slew of companies including ioneer Ltd, Antofagasta Plc, Rio Tinto and others, even if those mines produce metals key to fighting climate change.
Thacker Pass, if completed, would be the largest lithium mine in the United States, producing 30,000 tonnes of lithium annually - enough to make more than 475,000 electric vehicle (EV) batteries.