Construction of the first large-scale direct lithium extraction plant in the U.S. began last month in California's "Lithium Valley"— igniting potential to transform the Salton Sea area into a significant source of the material critical to energy transition.

Controlled Thermal Resources Holdings Inc., an Australia-based company, is spearheading the $1.85 billion project to construct a fully integrated lithium and renewable power production facility on the sea's shore in the Imperial Valley region. The Jan. 30 groundbreaking marked the construction launch of the first phase of the facility.