(The Center Square) - Nevada’s lithium boom continued to ramp up this week, with one Nye County mine declaring that exploratory drilling would begin within the month.

The announcement by Desert Minerals is yet another step toward the state’s mining future. It comes shortly after Gov. Joe Lombardo’s most recent visit to another lithium mine, where the Republican touted the industry as “responsible development” for the state.

“With final permitting milestones achieved and drilling preparations now well advanced, we’re excited to be moving into the next phase at Scotty as drilling gets underway,” said Desert Minerals Executive Chairman Peretz Schapiro in a news release. “This program is a critical step toward advancing the project toward a maiden Mineral Resource estimate and testing the scale and continuity of lithium mineralization we see across the basin.”

Desert Minerals' exploratory drilling comes after it cleared its Notice of Intent review by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management.

Operators of the Scotty Lithium Project site in Nye County made early estimates in the low-millions of tons of usable lithium (Lithium Carbonate Equivalent). While the company admitted that the lithium estimates were premature, they were within the normal of other nearby tested sites such as Nevada Lithium’s Bonnie Claire site.

Desert Minerals, an Australian company, also operates a gold mine in the Australian desert. Australia produced nearly half of the world’s lithium in 2023 and more than any other country, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

Desert Minerals said the company has $4.1 million in cash saved for the Scotty Lithium Project. The company did not respond to a request for comment by The Center Square.

Recent years have seen a flurry of companies rush into Nevada for the Silver State’s latest mining boom. This comes despite a sharp fall in the value of lithium since its 2023 peak, which the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas said reflected an increase in supply and lower immediate demand. Still, the Dallas Fed said, mines are encouraged by lithium’s unique value in renewable energy batteries, used in electronics like electric cars.

The Dallas Fed named 66 lithium mines around the U.S., with the only one in operation in Nevada. The vast majority of those in progress were also in Nevada.

The issue has become a rallying cry for the state government, with the largest estimated lithium deposit in the world located in Nevada’s Humboldt County Thacker Pass.

“This investment will bring strong economic development to Nevada, creating jobs, supporting local businesses, and strengthening Humboldt County’s economy while positioning the state as a leader in the responsible development of critical minerals and advanced energy," Lombardo said after visiting the site Saturday.