BLM publishes Notice of Availability for the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Marigold Mine – Mackay Optimization Project
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WINNEMUCCA, Nev. – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Winnemucca District, Humboldt River Field Office announces the availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Marigold Mine – Mackay Optimization Project proposed in Humboldt County, Nevada. The BLM’s Proposed Action would extend the life of the mine for up to 10 years.
The EIS analyzes environmental impacts associated with a proposal by Marigold Mining Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of SSR Mining, Inc., to expand the existing Marigold Mine, located approximately 35 miles southeast of Winnemucca, Nevada, in the Battle Mountain Range, Humboldt County.
The operating gold mine is currently authorized to disturb up to 5,682.6 acres of land (3,211.4 acres of private land and 2,471.2 acres of public land). Proposed changes to their operation would encompass 2,055.9 additional acres (800.9 acres of public land and 1,255 acres of private land) and increase the mine life by up to 10 years. The mine’s current employment levels of 400 employees and 20 contractors and $51.4 million per year in wages would continue through 2037. The mine will also provide revenue in the form of taxes paid and vendor use to the surrounding community while mining operations continue.
A Notice of Availability of the Final EIS was published in the Federal Register on Sept. 13, 2019. A copy of the EIS is available on our National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) ePlanning website at https://go.usa.gov/xmwds.
The plan modification would combine multiple existing open pits into three larger pits. The pits are proposed to extend below the historic water table necessitating dewatering of the groundwater and include rapid infiltration basins for recharging the excess water down gradient of the pits. Waste rock storage areas, heap leach pads and other supporting facilities would be expanded in association with the pits.
In addition, amendments to two associated rights-of-ways (ROWs) would be needed to accommodate the proposed mine changes and are also evaluated in the EIS. These ROWs include relocation of a portion of the Buffalo Valley Road and the existing 120-kV power line (ROW held by NV Energy).
A range of alternatives were considered and discussed in the EIS, and two alternatives were analyzed along with the Proposed Action: (1) Alternative I: Partial Discharge to Cottonwood Creek and (2) the No Action Alternative. The BLM’s preferred choice is the Proposed Action. Mitigation measures would be applied to minimize environmental impacts and to assure the proposed action does not result in unnecessary or undue degradation of public lands.
For further information, please contact Jeanette Black, Project Lead, at 775-623-1500.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.