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Equinox Gold’s Western Mesquite Mine in the desert of Southern California is the state’s largest producing gold mine. The company wants to expand their open pit, cyanide heap leach operation. Their first step is to test the quality of the nearby gold deposit at the Rainbow East exploration project.
The project would impact sensitive environments and Tribal cultural resources
The project would build and widen access roads, drill 23 holes, and disturb 2.34 acres on lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management in Imperial County. These lands are part of Desert Tortoise Critical Habitat and the Picacho Area of Critical Concern.
The project is also located within a cultural landscape that the Fort Yuma Quechan Indian Tribe seeks permanent protection for. Mineral exploration here needs careful study, public input, tribal consultation, and strong safeguards in order to protect these sensitive desert resources.
This biodiverse desert should not be sacrificed for more gold
In February, I visited the site together with local resident Gail Overton. Gail lives in the desert and cares deeply for the plants and animals who call it home. Together we walked along the proposed access roads and drill sites. Here the desert was full of life. Desert washes braid through the area, providing water to plants and wildlife. The brittle bush and ocotillo were in bloom, we saw burrows that could be used by tortoises or burrowing owls, and several lizards.
Future mining operations in this area would block this critical source of water runoff from the Chocolate Mountains to the desert floor below. An entire ecosystem of deer, coyote, tortoise, lizards, birds, and native plants should not be sacrificed to chase low-grade gold ore that only serves the profit margin of this Canadian mining outfit.
Gail Overton
Trump’s tools could allow Equinox to skip environmental review
Last year, almost 5,000 Earthworks supporters asked the BLM not to skip environmental review. Now they are doing just that, considering approving the project under a Categorical Exclusion, one of the many tools Trump is using at breakneck pace to permit irresponsible mining on public lands.
The public has a chance to weigh in
Luckily, we still have a chance to weigh in. The project and its reclamation plan are being reviewed by Imperial County under the California Environmental Quality Act. However, Imperial County is considering approving the project using outdated documents from more than 20 years ago. These documents studied and approved a 2002 mine expansion within the project boundaries, but never looked at the impacts of exploration drilling in Rainbow East, which would disturb an entirely new area outside of the mine plan boundaries.
Submit a comment
Make sure Imperial County doesn’t cut corners on its environmental review. Comment by October 19 to urge the planning commission for a new study.