The Western Shoshone Defense Project (WSDP) posted an action alert yesterday, warning that Cortez Gold Mines (a subsidiary of Barrrick Gold) may soon be permitted to build a new gold mine on the slopes of Mt. Tenabo.
The mountain and surrounding area is of extreme significance to the Spiritual and Cultural life of the Western Shoshone. “Mt. Tenabo has been, and continues to be used by Western Shoshone people as a central part of their religious practices and world view. Western Shoshone visit the mountain and the valley below (the location of the mine pit) for prayer ceremonies, gathering of sacred plants, fasting, and vision quests, among other uses. The Mountain also contains Western Shoshone gravesites. All of these values and uses will be destroyed by the Project.
Unless the mine is stopped, it will also:
- Disturb (devastate) 6,792 acres of land, including a heap leach and waste rock facilities covering much of the Horse Canyon pass just south of Tenabo, and extending east into Grass Valley
- Blast the new Cortez Hills mine pit approximately 8,900 feet in length, 6,400 feet in width, and a maximun depth of 2,200 feet
- Expand an underground mine with a horizontal extent of 1,000 feet wide by 5,000 feet long
- Pump groundwater from around the pit with an average dewatering rate of approximately 1.8 billion gallons per year for ten years to keep it dry for mining
- Create a drop in the water table of 1,600 feet surrounding the pit, decreasing to 10 feet at 3-4 mile radius of the pit
- Potentially impact the 50 springs and seeps in the project area with 28 in the Horse Canyon area; however, according to the BLM draft analysis none of the 28 springs are expected to be impacted
- A pit lake will result after mining is completed with an eventual depth of about 1,000 feet, and according to the BLM draft analysis of acceptable water quality
- Of the 11 non-Cortex Gold Mine water rights, only one is expected to recover fully within 100 years after dewatering ceases
The US Bureau of Land management (BLM) will be making it’s decision soon after December 21st, so there’s only a small margin of time for people to help make sure none of this happens..
And so, the WSDP asks you to take a moment and:
1. write a postcard or letter (pdf) to the BLM, (mail it by December 4th) to:
U.S. Bureau of Land Management
Battle Mountain Field Office
Attn: Steve Drummond, Cortez Hills Project Manager
50 Bastian Road
Battle Mountain, NV 89820
2. send an email (must be sent by 4 pm Pacific time on December 4th) to:
stephen_drummond@nv.blm.gov
3. Sign This Petition
More Information
For background and more information please see here; or contact the Western Shoshone Defense Project at wsdp@igc.org – 775-744-2565.