Save the Pequop Mountains

North Pequops Action Page

The North Pequops Range just east of Wells Nevada is a classic Basin and Range lanscape of the Great Basin. There has been mining exploration activities in the area; however, it is largely unimpacted by mining. Much of the region is considered by the Federal Governmant as having "Wilderness Characteristics." This is defined by the Wilderness Act as:

A wilderness, in contrast with those areas where man and his own works dominate the landscape, is hereby recognized as an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain. An area of wilderness is further defined to mean in this Act an area of undeveloped Federal land retaining its primeval character and influence, without permanent improvements or human habitation, which is protected and managed so as to preserve its natural conditions and which (1) generally appears to have been affected primarily by the forces of nature, with the imprint of man's work substantially unnoticeable; (2) has outstanding opportunities for solitude or a primitive and unconfined type of recreation; (3) has at least five thousand acres of land or is of sufficient size as to make practicable its preservation and use in an unimpaired condition; and (4) may also contain ecological, geological, or other features of scientific, educational, scenic, or historical value.

Newmont Mining corp. is proposing a large open pit gold mine on the east side of the North Pequops Range called the Long Canyon Project.

The Bureau of Land Management is currently accepting scoping comments in regards to Newmont Mining Corporation's (Newmont) proposed Long Canyon open-pit gold mine to be located approximately 30 miles east of Wells,in Elko County, Nevada on both private and public lands.

From the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) "Interested Party" letter:

Newmont Mining Corporation (Newmont) proposes to construct and operate an open-pit gold mining operation (Long Canyon Project), which would include one open pit, a heap leach pad, one waste rock dump, a tailings storage facility, and other ancillary facilities. The mine would be located on the eastern side of the Pequop Mountain Range, about 30 miles east of Wells, Nevada and 32 miles west of West Wendover, Nevada on Interstate 80. The associated disturbance for the proposed operations would increase to1,631 acres of public land, including split estate lands. The projected life of the mine is 8 to 14 years, including construction, operations, and closure and post-closure monitoring. An estimated annual workforce for operations will be approximately 300-500 people from construction to operations to closure.

The Plan of Operations for the Long Canyon Mine was submitted to the BLM Wells Field Office on March 22, 2012 and was determined complete by the BLM on April 18, 2012. The Plan of Operations can be viewed at the Elko District BLM website: www.blm.gov/rv5c.

The BLM is seeking comments on the project and is also soliciting input on potential issues, impacts, and alternatives that the commenter thinks should be addressed in an environmental analysis. Comments and input should be submitted to the BLM as described below by September 4, 2012.

Written comments on the Long Canyon Project should be mailed to: BLM Elko District, Attn: Whitney Wirthlin, 3900 E. Idaho Street, Elko, NV 89801, or via email to: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Comments may also be submitted at any of the above public scoping meetings.

Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment-including your personal identifying information- may be made publicly available at any time. While you ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.

If you have questions, please contact Whitney Wirthlin, Wells Field Office Geologist, at (775) 753-0342, or via email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .