A lithium boom in southeastern Utah is only getting bigger, and the mining companies involved in two new explorations for the mineral want to use a lot of water. The Bureau of Land Management recently greenlit two lithium drilling projects in Grand County, and environmentalists fear each will have harmful effects on the sensitive landscape in Utah’s canyon country — and its limited water resources. Lithium is an essential element for rechargeable batteries — needed in phones, computers and electric vehicles — that are considered crucial for a transition to clean energy. Typically, lithium mining uses water to rinse the mineral free from salty brines. One of the recently approved projects is headed by A1 Lithium Inc., a subsidiary of Australia-based Anson Resources. This exploratory drilling — for which a previous application was rejected by the BLM — would take place on State Route 313, the main road that leads to Canyonlands National Park and Dead Horse Point State Park.