Episodes 9
Avg. Duration 27m
Activity Dormant
Since Feb 2024
Latest Episode May 2025

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Publishing Details

Schedule
Hourly
Format
Serial
Hosting
feed.podbean.com

About This Podcast

Behind every electric vehicle is at least one mine and a community that has been altered by it. Mining for the Climate peers under the hood to get to know the people and places impacted by the rush to mine critical minerals. In the process, we take a hard look at the stories told about climate change, mining and the energy transition and we consider less mining-dependent futures. Season 1 takes listeners to a proposed lithium mine in Gaston County, North Carolina, an agricultural region hailed by mining and green technology companies as a future hub for the production of lithium batteries. Season 2 brings listeners to the McDermitt Caldera, a desert region that has recently become the epicenter of US lithium mining. Mining for the Climate is created by Nate Otjen and Juan Manuel Rubio for Season 1 and by Nate Otjen and Jessica Ng for Season 2. It is a production of Princeton University’s Blue Lab, which is co-led by Allison Carruth and Barron Bixler. Additional support at Princeton has come from the High Meadows Environmental Institute, the Humanities Council and the Office of the Dean of Research. Season 1 Copyright 2023 Nate Otjen, Juan Manuel Rubio and Blue Lab. Season 2 Copyright 2025 Nate Otjen, Jessica Ng and Blue Lab. All rights reserved. To learn more about Mining for the Climate and Blue Lab’s other original media projects and series visit: http://bluelabmedia.org/.

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Recent Episodes

S2E4 Season 2, Episode 4: Long Haul

May 22, 2025 41m

The Thacker Pass Mine brings many uncertainties to the region’s Indigenous and settler ranching communities. This episode features Susan Frey, a rancher in Orovada, and Gary McKinney, a Shoshone…

S2E3 Season 2, Episode 3: Land Access

May 22, 2025 29m

The questions of who can access land and which uses are prioritized have become urgent and pervasive in northern Nevada. The federal government determines how public land is used and which entities…

S2E2 Season 2, Episode 2: Caldera as Home

May 22, 2025 26m

Outsiders and those who are not connected to the land often see the desert West as barren and unpopulated. However, Indigenous peoples and other beings have coexisted with the land since time…

S2E1 Season 2, Episode 1: Energy Colony

May 22, 2025 19m

Nevada has a long history of mining. In the last decade, the state has positioned itself as the leading producer of lithium in the United States. This episode looks at how the recent approval of the…

S1E5 Season 1, Episode 5: Forking Paths

Feb 09, 2024 17m

The road ahead for the Carolina Lithium project seems uncertain. In this final episode, we look at the greatest obstacle confronting Piedmont Lithium: convincing the Gaston County Board of…

S1E4 Season 1, Episode 4: A Tale of Two Ranchers

Feb 08, 2024 25m

Many residents of Gaston County make their living through farming and ranching. We meet a cattle and a horse rancher whose livelihoods and animals are threatened by the mine. Both women are doing…

S1E3 Season 1, Episode 3: The Body of the Mine

Feb 07, 2024 39m

Like a body, a mine has its own metabolism. It consumes water, trees and energy, and it releases chemicals, carbon and wastewater. These metabolic processes are supposed to be hidden: few want to…

S1E2 Season 1, Episode 2: Land Histories and Futures

Feb 06, 2024 29m

Building a mine requires a substantial amount of land. This episode investigates the tactics used by Piedmont Lithium to accumulate a critical amount of land for its operations. We take listeners to…

S1E1 Season 1, Episode 1: White Gold Rush

Feb 05, 2024 18m

A few stories about critical minerals have dominated the news lately: “We must mine to save the planet;” “China is taking over rare-earth elements;” “EVs are leading the green revolution.” These…

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does Mining for the Climate have?

Mining for the Climate has published 9 episodes since February 2024, covering topics in Documentary, Science.

Is Mining for the Climate still active?

Mining for the Climate is currently dormant with new episodes hourly. Average episode length is 27m.

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