The Bureau of Land Management is seeking public comments for the proposed second expansion of the Castle Mountain gold mine in the eastern Mojave Desert.
Located in San Bernardino County, the Castle Mountain Mine Phase 2 Project is the BLM’s first mining project to receive full coverage as a federal FAST-41 project.
BLM officials said the project is in the interest of government transparency and in response to administration efforts to increase American mineral production, reduce U.S. reliance on foreign minerals, enhance national security and create jobs.
Castle Mountain Mine is located between Interstates 15 and 40, and in the Mojave National Preserve.
Expansion includes added jobs
If approved, Castle Mountain Venture could expand open-pit mining activities within the existing 3,910-acre mine plan boundary.
The proposal would expand the mine by 1,800 acres and increase the annual mining rate by four times.
The project is expected to create roughly 500 construction jobs and an additional 400 support jobs across California and Nevada. Once fully operational, the mine is projected to employ 273 onsite workers.
In his first term, President Donald Trump left the Mojave Desert mine off a list for reductions; however, California Republicans and Canada’s NewCastle Gold wanted the 21,000-acre preserve scaled back.
“It was designated for one purpose: to prevent the reopening of the Castle Mountain Mine,” Republican Congressman Paul Cook told The Desert Sun in 2017.
How to comment
Additional information, including the draft environmental impact statement, is available at the BLM National NEPA Register, where comments may be submitted through the preferred “Participate Now” option.
Comments may also be delivered to: BLM Needles Field Office, ATTN: Castle Mountain Mine Phase 2 Project – Rose Pettiette, 1303 U.S. 95, Needles, CA 92363.
The comment period will close June 1. For more information, contact the BLM Needles Field Office at 760-326-7000.
This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Mojave Desert gold mine expansion seeks public comment
Reporting by Rene Ray De La Cruz, Victorville Daily Press / Victorville Daily Press
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