Silver Peak

Nearby Communities

• Goldfield
• Tonopah
• Dyer
• Hawthorne
• Beatty

Silver Peak is an unincorporated community in Esmeralda County, Nevada, known historically for its silver mines and currently as the site of the only active lithium production facility in the United States. As of the 2020 Census, Silver Peak had a population of approximately 100 people.

Founded in the 1860s during Nevada’s early mining boom, Silver Peak has experienced several booms and busts. Its modern claim to fame is the **Silver Peak Lithium Operation**, a large brine extraction and evaporation site operated by Albemarle Corporation, making it a key location in the global battery materials supply chain.

Quick Facts

• **Status:** Unincorporated
• **County:** Esmeralda County
• **Population:** ~100
• **ZIP Code:** 89047
• **Elevation:** ~4,300 ft
• **Established:** 1860s
• **Nearby Landmark:** Clayton Valley

Local Economy

The economy of Silver Peak revolves almost entirely around:

• **Lithium extraction and processing** (brine pools in Clayton Valley)
• **Mineral exploration and environmental research**
• **Support services for industrial operations**
• Limited tourism from rockhounding and ghost town explorers

Community and Infrastructure

• Basic services (post office, utility infrastructure, fire protection)
• No schools in town; students attend school in Goldfield or Tonopah
• Limited commercial activity; nearest major amenities are in Tonopah
• Surrounded by open desert, historic mining claims, and geology sites

Historic Notes

• One of Nevada’s oldest continuously operating mining settlements
• Previously produced gold, silver, and other minerals in the 19th–20th centuries
• Still includes original structures, ruins, and abandoned shafts