An Imperial County judge cleared the way for the Hell’s Kitchen project, one of the world’s largest lithium mines, when he recently dismissed a lawsuit filed by civic and environmental groups. Hell’s Kitchen, in the Salton Sea, promises to unearth a motherlode of lithium, a mineral essential to electric car batteries, cellphones and other electronics. While the court decision is expected to open a floodgate for U.S. lithium production, it has disappointed community organizers who worry the mine will endanger nearby residents. The nonprofits Comite Civico del Valle and Earthworks argued in their lawsuit that the environmental review for Hell’s Kitchen did not fully address the project’s effects on water supply and air quality, and that the company developing it, Controlled Thermal Resources, didn’t consult with local Native American tribes as required by law. On Jan. 9 Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Jones ruled that Controlled Thermal Resources had met those requirements, freeing it to resume construction.