Long Valley Mining Protest This Saturday in Mammoth

Long Valley
Photo: Sygic Travel

A peaceful protest will be taking place in Mammoth Lakes this upcoming Saturday to protest KORE Mining’s open pit gold mine, which will be drilled into the landscape in our Long Valley Caldera, in the area which many locals and visitors know as Hot Creek.

Today, the U.S. Forest Service announced that “exploratory work” could begin in Long Valley as soon as November 30th, 2021, though it was previously scheduled to start November 16th. In their press release, sent out the morning of November 17th, they announced that the public should “expect that heavy equipment including a drill rig will be on the roads near Whitmore Hot Springs and Antelope Springs Roads.”

As of today, the project has been approved for KORE mining for mineral exploration only. A proposal hasn’t been submitted or proposed to actually start mining, but it is expected that will take place in the near future.

The location of the drilling project, and the exploratory work, will be at the headwaters of Hot Creek, within 10 miles of Mammoth Lakes.

Open pit gold mines pose a massive environmental threat to the wildlife of Hot Creek. They include a strip mine and a cyanide

Open Pit Gold Mine
Photo: Wikipedia

heap, which can destroy habitats for endangered animals like sage grouse on the surface, and cyanide will leach into the ground water, contaminating it.

If you are a fisherman, rancher, camper, hiker, local, or even just like to soak in the hot springs once in a while, this will greatly impact your ability to enjoy this area for outdoor recreation, to say nothing of the environmental damage it will cause to our local wildlife.

The protest will be on Saturday, November 20th, and will take place from 2-3 pm in the town of Mammoth Lakes, specifically on the sidewalks adjacent to Stellar Brew and along Main Street.

From the Facebook post: “The goal of this protest is to bring awareness to community members in Mammoth Lakes and the Eastern Sierra about KORE Mining’s intentions to implement an open pit gold mine.”

Protest attendants are asked to make signs or banners to bring to the event. This protest will be a fully peaceful and completely non-violent demonstration, solely for the purpose of making our voices heard as locals that will be affected by this drilling project.

When you attend the protest, make sure to consider your safety and that of those around you. Do not block driveways, roads, or right aways, and be kind to those using the sidewalk by allowing them to pass peacefully.

To access the original Facebook post and RSVP to the event, click here.

To learn more about other non-profits working to fight against KORE Mining and take a stand with citizens, click the links below.

Friends of the Inyo: Long Valley Mining

Sierra Club: Exploratory Drilling at Hot Creek

Inyo National Forest

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