Mining to begin in national monument eliminated by Trump

Meanwhile, groups are suing over decision to open up the lands to resource extraction.

JENNY ROWLAND JUN 20, 2018, 2:47 PM

Canadian mining company, Glacier Lake Resources Inc., has announced that they have acquired rights to the “Colt Mesa” copper and cobalt mine located on lands eliminated from Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.

In December 2017, President Trump removed protections from nearly 1 million acres of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument and 1.2 million acres of Bears Ears National Monument, both located in Utah. The move amounted to the largest elimination of protected areas in U.S. history. Within Trump’s proclamation was a provision that in February 2018, the areas excluded from the monuments would become open to private mineral companies to begin staking mining and drilling claims.

“[T]he Colt Mesa project is a welcome addition to the Company’s ever growing portfolio of projects,” Saf Dhillon, president and chief executive officer of Glacier Lake Resources, said in a press release. “Surface exploration work will start this summer on the Colt Mesa property and drill permitting will be initiated shortly.”

In March, the company made 10 claims, totaling 200 acres, but only announced acquisition June 13. With the exception of a few reporters looking at the process, this is the first threat the area faces from a new mining claim.

https://thinkprogress.org/mining-to-begin-this-summer-in-national-monument-eliminated-by-trump-a55f35047e2a/

-snip-

The proposed mine would focus on cobalt, copper, and other hard rock minerals. Those minerals are governed by the outdated 1872 mining law, which allows companies to operate royalty-free. That would mean that the Canadian company would pay exactly $0 to US taxpayers for mining on national monument-quality land and potentially interfering with wildlife and outdoor recreation.

The Administration’s efforts to sell out America’s national monuments is deeply unpopular with most Americans. During the Department of the Interior’s 60-day comment period on the topic, more than 2.8 million people submitted comments — 98 percent of which expressed support for maintaining or expanding national monuments.