US agency takes steps to protect Nevada mountains from energy development

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Reuters

December 30, 2024 3:39 PM EST Updated 4 hours ago


Dec 30 (Reuters) - The Biden administration on Monday took steps to protect the Ruby Mountains in northeast Nevada from oil, gas and geothermal development for 20 years. The Interior Department said it had approved an application by the U.S. Forest Service to withdraw 264,442 acres of federal lands in the Ruby Mountains from mineral and geothermal leasing.

The application's approval removes the lands from development for up to two years and kicks off a 90-day period for the public to comment on the proposed 20-year withdrawal.

The proposal comes three weeks before President-elect Donald Trump, who has vowed to step up domestic oil and gas production, succeeds President Joe Biden, a Democrat who has sought to conserve large amounts of public land. The lands would remain open to mining claims, the Interior Department said.

"The Ruby Mountains are cherished by local communities for their scenic value, cultural heritage, numerous wildlife and benefit to the local economy through a thriving outdoor recreation industry," Interior Secretary Deb Haaland said in a statement.

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-agency-takes-steps-protect-nevada-mountains-energy-development-2024-12-30/

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Link to Department of Interior PRESS RELEASE - Biden-Harris Administration Proposes Protections for Ruby Mountains

[Think. Again.]

1. Thank You President Biden.

[Fla Dem]

2. Fantastic! One less thing Trump can destroy.

[2naSalit]

3. YESSS!!!

[BumRushDaShow]

4. You need one of these too

[2naSalit]

5. Thanks...

I missed that. I was in a hurry because I'm trying to be responsive to an OP I just posted.

[BumRushDaShow]

6. LOL

[2naSalit]

7. .

[yonder]

8. Great news. The Ruby's are lesser known and to me, very special.

[Ford_Prefect]

9. We need the same protection for the Bitterroot Mountains in Western Montana. The planet looters want a strip mine

for rare minerals at the head of the Bitterroot valley which would poison the entire valley and the headwaters of the Columbia river.
The proposed Sheep Creek Mine is a rare earth open pit mine proposal sited in the heart of the Bitterroot National Forest which would be far more toxic than any fracking site in the Bakken oil fields.
https://bitterrootstar.com/2023/07/public-concerned-over-potential-sheep-creek-mine/

The overwhelming sentiment in the public meeting room in Hamilton was one of concern. Residents of the Bitterroot Valley were there to watch the documentary “Sagebrush Gold” about the problems brought about by a lithium mine in a Nevada desert. Foremost on most peoples’ minds, however, was the mineral exploration taking place near the headwaters of the West Fork of the Bitterroot River and whether their community will face a similar fate.

Last April, US Critical Materials (USCM) and US Critical Metals notified the U.S. Forest Service of their intent to begin exploring for minerals near Sheep Creek where the two corporations hold hundreds of mining claims. Sheep Creek sits high in the Bitterroot watershed above Painted Rocks Reservoir and near the Idaho border. On its website, USCM promotes Sheep Creek as “one of the highest grade rare earth projects in the United States.”

Rare earth elements (REE) are those minerals critical for many technological components and often touted as necessary for green technology. USMC’s exploration includes sampling, mapping and aerial surveys and is set to conclude by October. If the search proves successful, the companies hope to convert more than 4,500 acres into a multi-billion dollar mining operation. Until the exploratory phase is complete, however, the viability of the mine is uncertain. For many in the room on a recent Wednesday night, that unsettled future presents an opportunity to thwart the mine’s prospects.

As of this post the mining rights for the site have been acquired by Glencore PLC, the largest mining company on the planet, domiciled in Switzerland. This is not a good thing for the valley or the planet.

Glencore is a Switzerland-based multinational commodity trading and mining company. It produces metal, mineral, energy, and agricultural commodities. The company serves the automotive, steel, power generation, battery manufacturing, and oil sectors globally.

https://www.investopedia.com/biggest-mining-companies-5077594. Revenue (TTM): $225.97 billion