We Need Your Help: Imminent Threat to Conglomerate Mesa *Update: Double your donation An anonymous donor has offered to match the next $10,000 in donations. Your donation will be doubled and your support will go twice as far. Click the image above or scroll to the bottom of the page to make a donation today. The Threat We’ve Been Watching For is Here. A Canadian mining company, K2 Gold, recently took over the Conglomerate Mesa gold exploration plan. Although helicopter access at seven drill sites is currently permitted, K2 clearly has bigger plans. They have now proposed drilling 30 additional sites…
Conglomerate Mesa
K2 Gold is Coming for Conglomerate Mesa While the world has slowed down due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, the extractive mining industry has not, and we are seeing this right here in the California Desert and at Conglomerate Mesa. After SSR Mining abandoned the Conglomerate Mesa exploration project in 2018, many considered the mining threats dismissed and the area safe. Unfortunately, this is not the case. This Summer, international mining giant K2 Gold took over the gold exploration plan for Conglomerate Mesa that permits seven drill locations accessed only by helicopter. Under this plan, no roads can be built….
We are writing regarding K2 Gold’s expanded proposal for exploratory drilling at Conglomerate Mesa, which K2 Gold calls the “Mojave Project.” This is described on the company’s website and in an accompanying video. K2 Gold says it intends to submit an amended Plan of Operations (POO) to BLM for approval of up to 30 exploratory drill holes and an undetermined number of miles of new road construction to access the drill holes over an expansive area. The original POO was approved by BLM in 2018 as part of the Perdito Exploration Project. We are deeply concerned about the significantly expanded…
Conglomerate Mesa and K2 Gold’s Lingering Exploration Interest Since the approval of the environmental assessment that allows for helicopter access exploratory drilling at Conglomerate Mesa, Friends of the Inyo and the environmental community have closely monitored mining company’s interest in pursuing this project. In June 2019, Friends of the Inyo learned that a company called K2 Gold met with Inyo County and Conglomerate Mesa claimholders, Noel Cousins and Steven Van Ert to discuss possible exploration. In the months after this meeting, we did not receive any additional intel about K2 Gold and their exploration interests. Things at the Mesa remained…
A special day for the CDPA October 31st, 2019 marks the 25th anniversary of the California Desert Protection Act. The act that established Death Valley National Park, Joshua Tree National Park, the Mojave National Preserve and 69 wilderness areas. While the National Parks are certainly highlights of the act, it also protected places like Mal Pais Mesa Wilderness and Suprise Canyon Wilderness. In total, the California Desert Protection Act increased protection for 8.6 million acres of the California desert. The incredible work of inspired citizens, Senator Feinstein, conservation groups, agency partners, cities, counties, recreation groups, and so many more allow…
In April 2019, the BLM State Office upheld the Perdito Project environmental assessment that approves exploratory drilling via helicopter access at Conglomerate Mesa. This means exploratory drilling could begin anytime. While there is no company currently positioned to carry out the exploration, Friends of the Inyo recently learned that a company has visited the area and is interested in leasing the claims. That company is K2 Gold, based in Vancouver, Canada. K2 Gold is an exploration-focused mining company with many ongoing projects in the Yukon Territory and Alaska. They appear to have the resources to execute the Perdito Plan of…
On the weekend of May 10th, Friends of the Inyo teamed up with the California Native Plant Society, Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden, and volunteers to document the flora and fauna of Conglomerate Mesa. While preparing for the trip, the weather seemed to want to play their cards close to the vest and hide what was in store for the weekend. A changing forecast of rain, partly to fully clouded skies, to sunshine led us to question whether or not we would make it up to the rugged roads to the Mesa… To our surprise, when everyone arrived Saturday, the…
“Oh, wow!” With wide eyes and a big grin, the last student crests the hill and catches his first views of Conglomerate Mesa. Our group, a dozen strong, gathers at the saddle just below the Mesa’s summit. Bryan Hatchell, Desert Lands Organizer at Friends of the Inyo, squats down to point out a spring parsley in bloom. The mid-day sun is warm on our backs, but now the gentle breeze from the West convinces us to put our jackets back on. We are all happy to take a break and quietly soak in the view. On Sunday, March 31st, Bryan…
I’ve been on several trips to Conglomerate Mesa in the spring, but never in the winter. In Fact, this was the first winter trip to Conglomerate Mesa for all of us. Since we had just hired Bryan Hatchell as Friends of the Inyo’s Desert Lands Organizer, we planned a trip to the Mesa with the goal of further familiarizing ourselves with the area and to scope for a potential outing in the near future. Conglomerate Mesa is an approximate 7,000 acre area between the Malpais Mesa Wilderness to the south and the Cerro Gordo Mine to the north. Read on…
Support Conglomerate Mesa ***Update 8/2/2018: It seemed when SSR withdrew their application for exploratory drilling that we were in the clear. But the mining claim holders have requested to transfer the approved plan of operation, and BLM granted the claimants 60 days to complete the transfer requirements. The fight continues! Help us protect Conglomerate Mesa by becoming a member today!*** Picture this: a gold mine on Conglomerate Mesa. A dusty cyanide heap-leach mine where there is now a quiet, culturally rich, open space filled with Joshua trees. All on Death Valley’s doorstep. It almost happened. In mid-May, Silver Standard Resources Inc. (SSR)…