Since discovery in 1817, the lightest metal on earth has been used for everything from treatment of bipolar disorder to manufacturing thermonuclear devices. It's a metal, a drug and a power source. Three women -- Mary Little, Emily Hersh and LeeAnn Munk -- are in Nevada, pioneering new pieces of the lithium puzzle. Lithium is sold commercially as a compound, either hydroxide or carbonate. Nearly all the commercial product today comes from hard-rock mines. But the world's largest reserves by far are in underground lakes like those in this place called Clayton Valley. Their story is a struggle worthy of the old West. Tangling with bureaucrats for mining permits. Human ingenuity that conjures metal from brine. A battle with a land baron over another substance that has always – in this desert – been as precious as gold: water. The members of this trio also have something to say about an industry dominated by men – and about the future of power. Swipe to read their story, and learn more about the booming demand for lithium through our link in bio.