A little bit of humor here:
I read in the local paper that a Canadian Mining company has staked lithium claims all over the dry lake bottom (playa) where the Burning man festival (party) is held each year. Now the Burning man folks are very left wing (the event originated in the Bay area) and anti-business, anti-mining. The event is sort of the modern day equivalent of a pagan orgy. Its quite funny to me that the need for more Lithium for high tech batteries has caused the alkali flat playa where they hold the event to be put under mining claims. Attendees are already up in arms that Burning man could be at risk.
http://www.rgj.com/story/news/2017/01/09/mining-company-claims-4000-acres-black-rock-desert/96132260/