Newsletters
Spring 2026
Lead Story: Trump Administration to Cut Off Public Engagement
The Trump administration is chopping the legs out from under the public by eliminating two important opportunities for public comment for projects on public lands…
Winter 2024
Lead Story: BIG SPRING WETLAND Saved from Mine Groundwater Pumping
The Long Canyon Mine sits on the eastern flank of the North Pequops Range just south of Interstate 80. The mine was fully permitted and began construction in 2015 despite objections from the Confederated Tribes of the Goshute Reservation. …
June 2023
Lead Story: PROTECTING SACRED LANDS International Support Comes to Reno
In Oct. 2022, more than 160 people from across the United States and Canada converged in Reno, Nevada for the Western Mining Action Network (WMAN) conference. WMAN’s mission is to foster and support a strong network that protects communities, land, water, air, and wildlife by reforming mining practices and holding government and corporations accountable. …
March 2022
Lead Story: Frontline Communities Under Pressure from Energy Transition Mining
As societies shift away from fossil fuels to combat climate change, business and government are eager to increase mining to provide metals for replacement technology. New devices, machines, and infrastructure will require an increase in metals such as lithium and copper, considered “critical minerals” by the United States. What will be the consequences of energy transition policies that encourage aggressive mineral extraction? …
December 2020
Lead Story: WHAT PRICE LITHIUM: Proposed Thacker Pass Mine
Nevada Lithium Corporation sees the ancient caldera in northwest Humboldt County as a rich source of profits from a proposed open pit lithium mine. Ranchers, sportsmen and conservation groups see the water, beauty and wildlife values of the Montana Mountains into which the Thacker Pass Lithium Mine footprint may intrude …
December 2019
Lead Story: LONG CANYON MINE Water and Culture Sacrificed for Gold
The destruction of cultural sites for the sake of gold and massive groundwater pumping is all too familiar in the Great Basin…
December 2018
Lead Story: The Destruction of the Sacred
There’s a very serious lack of legal protection for Native American sacred lands. For example, the Native American Religious Freedom Act is narrowly interpreted by the courts; so long as an action is not forcing Native people from doing something against their religion, then their religious freedom is not being affected despite the loss of a cultural area…
December 2017
Lead Story: Newmont Proposes Treating Toxic Mine Water Forever
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) defines “treatment (of mine sites) in perpetuity” as 500 years or greater; in other words, no end in sight. This is what Newmont Mining Corporation is ef- fectively proposing for acid mine drainage from the Phoenix Mine, located southwest of Battle Mountain. For Nevadans, a proposal in which waste requires perpetual treatment conjures up the multigen- erational nuclear waste dump proposal for Yucca Mountain….
December 2016
Lead Story: Tosawihi : Another Threatened
Western Shoshone Treasure
When we wrote this, small advances were being made in North Dakota to protect land sacred to the Standing Rock Sioux tribe and the waters of the Missouri River from the Dakota Access Pipeline. In Michigan, the Menominee Tribe is currently finding few means to save the waters of the Menominee River, burial sites and other tribal legacies from a proposed mine project which could ultimately affect the Great Lakes. …
December 2015
Lead Story: Mining and Nevada’s Water
According to state of Nevada pumping data1 the mining industry is the second largest water user in the state, behind agriculture and ahead of municipal and quasi-municipal users….
December 2014
Lead Story: Bald Mountain Mine Threatens Sensitive Wildlife
Barrick Gold Corp. continues to expand its Bald Mountain gold mining operations south of the Ruby Mountain range in Elko County. BLM released for comment “Exploration Plan Amendment #17” on the Bald Mountain Mine, to which GBRW sent comments, focusing mostly of impacts to sage grouse and Mule deer….
December 2013
Lead Story: Taking on the Industry in the Courts thanks to Roger Flynn
Perhaps you have wondered how Great Basin Resource Watch with its small budget can take on the mining industry in federal courts. The answer is: Roger Flynn and the organization he founded, Western Mining Action Project (WMAP)…
Spring 2013
Lead Story: Comstock Residents Continue to Challenge Open Pit Mining
In the Summer 2011 and Spring 2012 issues of Bristlecone, we featured stories about the mining project initiated by Comstock Mining, Inc. (CMI) in Lyon and Storey Counties….
Spring 2012
Lead Story: Controversial Mt. Hope Moly Mine – Inadequate Environmental Review
The Mt. Hope Molybdenum Mine project would be one of the largest new mines that Nevada has seen for many years, moving roughly 60 million tons of rock annually…
Summer 2011
Lead Story: FIGHTING THE DESTRUCTION OF A SACRED PLACE — MT. DENABO
The cultural impact to the Western Shoshone from the Cortez Hills mine is so severe that in 2008 GBRW decided to “pull out the stops” to prevent Barrick Gold Corporation from developing this large open pit mine at Mt. Denabo…
Comments on Extractive Industry Projects
June 8, 2026: Joint Comments on Draft Environmental Impact Statement for North Bullfrog Mine Project, Esmeralda County Nevada
May 27, 2026; Preliminary Injunction on Anaconda Mine Superfund site Land Sale
May 22, 2026: GBRW Comment Letter on the Major Modification for the Robinson Mine
May 21, 2026: Federal Lawsuit Against BLM Anaconda Public Land Sale
April 7, 2026: GBRW comments on Anaconda Land Sale
March 20, 2026: Joint Comments on Water Pollution Control Permit for the Spring Valley Mine Project, Pershing County, Nevada
January 26, 2026: Comments on CWA Section 401 Permit, South Railroad Project, Elko County, Nevada
January 20, 2026: Comments on Environmental Assessment for Pegasus Exploration Project, White Pine County, Nevada
September 18, 2025: Scoping comments on the notice to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the South Railroad gold and silver mine, Elko County Nevada.
July 15, 2025: Joint Comments on Lodestar Exploration Project Environmental Assessment Scoping
July 14, 2025: Comments on the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Spring Valley Mine Project, Pershing County, Nevada
June 29, 2025: Comments on Rhyolite Ridge Water Pollution Control Permit Renewal
June 3, 2025: Formal Protest of the BLM Anaconda Land Sale Final Environmental Assessment and FONSI
May 12, 2025: Comments on Preliminary Environmental Assessment for 3PL Railroad Valley Exploration Project
April 25, 2025: Joint Comments on HiTech Lithium Exploration Project, Malheur County, Oregon
April 4, 2025: Comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Spring Valley Mine Project, Pershing County, Nevada.
January 21, 2025: Comments on Yerington Anaconda Mine Site Conveyance, Preliminary Environmental Assessment
January 19, 2025: Comments on NNLEP Exploration Project Draft Environmental Assessment
November 11, 2024: Comments on Klondex Midas Mine Water Pollution Control Permit Renewal
July 2, 2024: Comments on Wildcat Exploration Project Draft Environmental Assessment
September 15, 2023: Scoping Comments for the HiTech Lithium Exploration Plan of Operation
September 6, 2022: Comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Gibellini Mine Project, Eureka, NV
August 29, 2022: Comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Goldrush Mine Project
March 7, 2022: GBRW appeal of State of Nevada Thacker Pass Water Pollution Control Permit NEV2020104
December 8, 2021: Thacker Pass Proposed Lithium Mine, Comments on the New Water Pollution Control Permit NEV2020104
November 18, 2021: Fortitude/Reona-Phoenix Project, comments on state of Nevada Water Pollution Control Permit NEV87061 renewal.
November 18, 2021: Thacker Pass Proposed Lithium Mine, comments on the Nevada Class II Air Quality Operating Permit.
September 9, 2021: Goldrush Project Scoping, Comments for the federal Environmental Impact Statement
April 30, 2021: Rhyolite Ridge Project, State of Nevada Water Pollution Control Permit NEV2020107 -comments on draft
December 29, 2020: Comments on the Thacker Pass Lithium Mine Project – Final EIS and Proposed Record of Decision,
September 15, 2020: Scoping comments on Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Gibellini Mine Project, Eureka, NV
June 22, 2020: GBRW Update to the Nevada State Environmental Commission Regarding Eureka Moly LLC’s Mount Hope Mining Project
June 2, 2020: Comments on the Silicon Exploration Project Environmental Assessment DOI- BLM-NV-B020-2020-0017-EA
May 26, 2020: renewal and major modification of a Water Pollution Control Permit (WPCP) for the Rochester Mine Project
February 27, 2020: Scoping comments on the proposed Thacker Pass Lithium Mine and Exploration Plan of Operations and Reclamation Plan to prepare and Environmental Impact Statement.
May 30 2019: Comments on 2019 Newcrest Exploration Project
May 22, 2019: Comments on draft Environmental Impact Statement (DOI-BLM-NV-B020-2018-0052-EIS) for the Gemfield Mine Project.
December 5, 2018: Comments on the draft Deep South Expansion Project Environmental Impact Statement
November 9, 2018: Comments on Preliminary Environmental Assessment Keystone Overdumping Amendment (Robinson
Mine)
August 31, 2018: Comments on Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) Greater Phoenix Mine Project
June 12, 2018: California Open-Pit Metallic Mine Backfill Regulations – Pit Lakes
June, 8, 2018: Comments on draft COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND PARTICIPATION PLAN (CIPP) ANACONDA COPPER MINE SITE
May 31, 2018: Supplemental Comments on the Environmental Assessment for the Cortez Refractory Ore Amendment to the Plan of Operations
May 25, 2018: Comments on the Major Modification of the Water Pollution Control Permit NEV87061, Fortitude/Reona (Phoenix) Project
May 24, 2018: Comments on the Environmental Assessment for the Cortez Refractory Ore Amendment to the Plan of Operations
January 28, 2018: Comments on renewal of Water Pollution Control Permit NEV2003107, Hollister Mine Development Block Project
January 17, 2018: Letter to the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Mining Regulation and Reclamation regarding the Phoenix Mine Expansion.
November 21, 2017: Eagle relocation permit scoping comments submitted by Western Watershed Project with GBRW as a signatory.
October 16, 2017: Comments on Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) Greater Phoenix Mine Project (DOI- BLM-NV-B010-2016-0009-EIS)
September 14, 2017: Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) Greater Phoenix Project; request for comment extension period
September 8, 2017: Comments of the Mule canyon Mine Water Pollution Control Permit (NEV94110) renewal
May 1, 2017: Scoping Comments for the Proposed Deep South Expansion Project – Crescent Valley, Nevada
February 10, 2017: Scoping comments for the Rain Mine Final Permanent Closure Plan
February 28, 2014: Comments on the Lone Tree Mine Water Pollution control Permit- NEV0090058-2014 Renewal
Letters, Reports, Presentations, and Media Releases
July 17, 2026 Media Release: Federal Court Issues Injunction Blocking BLM’s Give-Away of Over 2,000 Acres of the Public’s Lands and Minerals Outside of Yerington
July 9, 2026 Media Advisory: Press Conference and Federal Injunction Hearing
May 21, 2026 Media Release: Indigenous and Environmental Justice Groups File Federal Lawsuit Against BLM Anaconda Public Land Give-Away
September 18, 2025 Media Release: Trump Administration’s New Federal Permitting Process to Shut Out the Public – South Railroad Mine Project First Use on a Hardrock Mine
June 24, 2025 Media Release: State of Nevada Issues “CEASE AND DESIST” to Lithium Nevada Corp. on Groundwater Pumping for the Thacker Pass Mine
June 5, 2025 Media Release: Formal Protests Charge BLM Anaconda Mine Land Sale Final EA and FONSI as Illegal
March 28, 2025 Media Release: BLM Slaps Communities with an Unprecedented 5-day Comment Period on a Large Mining Exploration Project
March 21, 2024 Media Release: Nevada Gold Mines Drops Plans to Expand Long Canyon Mine
April 4, 2023 Media Release: Federal Court Protects Nevada’s Water by Denying Mt. Hope Molybdenum Mine Federal Permit
March 1, 2023 Media Release: Ninth Circuit Green-lights Imminent Destruction of Thacker Pass
February 27, 2023 Media Release: Conservation Groups Ask Ninth Circuit to Block Destruction at Thacker Pass
February 21, 2023 Media Release: Conservation Groups Seek Emergency Halt of Destructive Lithium Mine Pending Court Appeal
February 7, 2023 Media Release: Court rules the Bureau of Land Management broke the law in approving Thacker Pass Lithium Mine
January 3 2023 Media Release: Conservation and Public Accountability Groups to argue the Illegality of the proposed Thacker Pass Lithium Mine
June 24 2022. Media Advisory: Great Basin Resource Watch Appeal Hearing to NV Commission on Faulty Lithium Mine permit
April 21, 2022. Report prepared for Great Basin Resource Watch: Prediction of Seepage from the Clay Tailings Filter Stack (CTFS) at the Lithium Nevada Thacker Pass Mine, Northern Nevada.
March 30, 2022. Media Release: Nevada Gold Mines to Drop Long Canyon Mine
March 9, 2022. Media Release: Great Basin Resource Watch Appeals State of Nevada Thacker Pass Lithium Mine Permit
February 15, 2022. Presentation: Pit Lakes in Nevada Recommendations for Public Policy
September 8, 2021. Media Release: International Lithium Group Stands in Solidarity with Peehee mu’huh / Thacker Pass Communities
June 8, 2021. Media Release: Digging Further Delayed at the Thacker Pass Lithium Mine Site
May 27, 2021. Media Release: Conservation and Public Accountability Groups Ask Court to Block Construction of the Thacker Pass Lithium Mine
February 26, 2021. Media Release: Conservation and Public Accountability Groups File Legal Challenge to the Thacker Pass Lithium Mine
January 12, 2020. Media Release: BLM Land Sale at Anaconda Mine is Not in the Public Interest
August 5, 2020. Media Release: NEVADA GOLD MINES PUTS LONG CANYON EXPANSION ON HOLD – Potential Harm to Wildlife, Cultural Resources Prompts New Review
April 10, 2020. Letter to Governor Sisolak: PLEASE SUSPEND PERMITTING OF MINES DURING COVID-19 EMERGENCY
April 7, 2020. Media Release: FORMAL WATER PROTESTS IN GOSHUTE VALLEY (REGARDING LONG CANYON GOLD MINE PROPOSED EXPANSION)
October 26, 2018: A PUBLIC INTEREST REVIEW OF THE PROPOSED DIAMOND VALLEY GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
December 4, 2017. Media Release: TRUMP EPA ABANDONS SAFEGUARDS PROTECTING TAXPAYERS FROM MINE CLEANUP COSTS
August 9, 2017. Media Release: NEW ANACONDA MINE CLEANUP STRATEGY – COMES WITH SERIOUS IMPLICATIONS
July 20, 2017. Media Release: NEW STUDY – 74% OF U.S. GOLD MINES POLLUTE WATER
July 20, 2017: U.S. GOLD MINES SPILLS AND FAILURES REPORT
The Track Record of Environmental Impacts Resulting from Pipeline Spills, Accidental Releases and Failure to Capture and Treat Mine Impacted Water. This report is coauthored with Earthworks.