Industry News
The pristine headwaters of Hot Creek are once again at the center of a high-stakes environmental standoff. As reported by the advocacy group Sierra Protection Action Network (SPAN) through its “Gold Isn’t Green” campaign, Canadian-based KORE Mining has officially resubmitted a proposal to conduct exploratory gold drilling in Mono County’s Long Valley near the Eastern Sierra Mountains of California.
The move comes as a direct result of recent federal policy shifts. According to the No Hot Creek Mine coalition, the project’s return was facilitated by Executive Order 14241, which reclassified gold as a “critical mineral.” This administrative change, paired with a significant reduction in the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) oversight, has allowed the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) to bypass the rigorous public comment periods and environmental impact statements that previously stalled the project.
The Scope of Exploration
The resubmitted plan calls for the installation of 12 drill pads on public land adjacent to the creek. Documentation provided by SPAN reveals that the operation would be a 24-hour industrial endeavor, bringing round-the-clock light pollution, dust, and heavy truck traffic to a region prized for its quiet, dark skies.
While KORE Mining maintains the current phase is strictly for exploration, local conservationists point to the potential for a future open-pit mine. The Sierra Protection Action Network warns that the intended extraction method of cyanide heap leaching poses a dire threat to the area’s groundwater. This process involves using sodium cyanide to separate microscopic gold from ore, a practice that advocates say could lead to catastrophic chemical leaks into the fragile Eastern Sierra ecosystem.
A Legacy of Resistance
The battle over Hot Creek is not new. A previous iteration of this project was defeated in 2021 after the USFS was found to have improperly applied “categorical exclusions” to avoid environmental reviews. However, under the new federal guidelines, the USFS is now granted more liberal use of these exclusions.
“Mining is one of the most toxic industries in the U.S.,” the Gold Isn’t Green campaign noted in its latest resource library update, highlighting that the antiquated General Mining Law of 1872 still allows companies nearly unfettered access to minerals regardless of the ecological cost. Beyond environmental concerns, tribal leaders have frequently voiced opposition, noting that the majority of untapped mineral deposits in the West sit within 35 miles of Indigenous lands, often threatening sites of immense cultural and historical value.
With the Forest Service currently reviewing the new application, local residents are on high alert. Because today’s rules don’t require the government to ask for public feedback, the No Hot Creek Mine movement is shifting its strategy. They are now focusing on direct advocacy to protect the very waters that fuel the local tourism industry and keep the region’s unique wildlife alive.
