The Most Valuable Plot Of Land In America

The McDermitt Caldera is a 28 by 22-mile wide area that spans across northern Nevada and southern Oregon. A recent discovery could make it the most important plot of land in the country. And with value comes conflict.

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[gshak]

The mineral may have changed but the cycle (and end result) is always the same:
Mineral deposits found > Companies swarm to secure rights > They set up operations > Community booms for 30-50 years > Mineral deposits are depleted > Company packs up shop and leaves > Community economy collapses and area is left polluted by chemicals from mining

[admiralgamers]

I grew up in Nevada. Anytime they say they secured funding for housing for mine growth they never finish the projects. They flatten land, put some materials out then pocket the money.

[Bpt]

"I'd hate for us to grow to the point where we're like, a major city. Like Reno."
That cracked me up.

[mixflip]

Reno - major city?

Yes in the context of the state of Nevada folks.

There are only 2 cities in Nevada that have a university, a hospital with a trauma center, an international airport, an FBI field office, a federal court house, and a stadium oh and multiple walmarts, costco and sams club....thats Las Vegas and Reno. Everything else is small town.

[Wells]

What a deal! I'll take two!

Unfortunately, I don't think lithium is a wise long-term investment given its toxicity and difficulty for recycling. It's my impression too many people see lithium as a technology quick-fix without the awareness of its environmental footprint and long-term issues it will likely present in the next few decades. Advancements in sodium ion and graphene would (ideally) yield better alternatives.

[ron.v]

Winnemucca should discuss their problem with cities in Alaska's north slope to find out how Alaska dealt with similar problems during peak oil production. Doing so could help them avoid mistakes that Alaskans may have made.

[tommypitcock]

I grew up in the oil fields of Oklahoma and you can easily find the effects of fast money and greed .now look at what is left there.
If the towns want to see 10 years in the future just look at the coal mines and all of the small towns that turned in to ghost towns because of the toxic waste.

[AG]

No foreign country should own American land. Period

[Mike-zwfq]

Sounds like a Chinese company with an American front company.

[pearldiver]

It's actually not a recent discovery. The initial mineral exploration of the site was done in the 60's or 70's when energy prospecting for Uranium recognized the lithium deposit as what at the time was considered an interesting but non-focus by-product.

[robj]

There was a time when 'off the grid' meant no electricity. Apparently, now it means no cellphone service.

[talkicat]

Stopping farms from having water in Idaho for this right now, food shortages with food shortages on the rise. They need to slow down a bit and let this be less dramitic for all concerned.

[AdventuringwiththeS.G.O.C.C]

I lived in Winnimucca at one time. As well as McDermitt. I redid the "White Horse saloon" that straddles the Oregon/Nevada line in McDermitt. Most of that area is home to the Paute inian nation. I remember we visited an abandoned mine in McDermitt at one time. LOTS of open country. Also of note is that the largest aquifer in north America is the Lahontan aquifer, part of the Lahontin sink. There are great deal of geographic things going on in that area.

[pkiser]

On a trip to the oil fields in the Dakotas, I learned about the fatal flaw in the rapid development of natural resources. The problem is that the income generated for the local and state governments is considered temporary even if it is expected to last for decades. This means that the funding for growth is done in the form of grants and short-term funding. This means there will be funding for things but not for people. In other words, police vehicles will be funded, but law enforcement officers will receive little or no funding. It creates a situation that destroys the quality of living for residents.

[mab]

Hey, that’s my photo on the sign at 0:57! My wife and I own the Lovelock Portrait Studio of Winnemucca! Very informative video!

[Brad]

@6:43 Let Mike know that dust is out of control 😂

[bryce]

Very informative well put together. Enjoyed watching!

[tjsoletsgo]

Great vid dude. Ive been following these developments for a while, but this was super helpful for context and overview

[terratrodder]

I've rode my motorcycle through this area for years and it will be interesting to see how this changes over time as this project evolves. I'm all for change if necessary but it's sure a bummer to watch small towns get consumed with new growth. It's more irritating that China already has it's fingers in the pot!

[gringolatino]

I could just be ignorant but this appeared to be a well balanced reporting of an issue. MORE OF THIS KIND OF REPORTING. Balanced reporting with minimal bias, represent multiple sides of an issue. Not easy to do, so I'm happy to support a channel that does this.