[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 137 (Tuesday, July 18, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Page 36824]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-17664]



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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
Analyzing the Impacts of a Proposed Expansion of Castle Mountain Mine, 
San Bernardino County, California

SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969, the Bureau of Land Management will be directing 
preparation of a joint Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)/
Environmental Impact Report (EIR) in conjunction with San Bernardino 
County's administration of the California Environmental Quality Act. 
The EIS/EIR will be prepared by a third party contractor on the impacts 
of the proposed mine expansion and ten year extension of mining and 
processing activities at the Castle Mountain open pit, heap leach gold 
mine located in northeastern San Bernardino County, California. Public 
scoping meetings will be held in connection with the document's 
preparation.

DATES: The public is invited to participate in defining the scope of 
analysis. Public meetings will be held at the following times and 
locations: 7 p.m., Wednesday, August 2, 1995, at the Searchlight 
Community Center, Parks and Recreation Department, 200 Michael Wendall 
Way, Searchlight, Nevada; 7 p.m., Thursday, August 3, 1995, at the 
Holiday Inn, 1511 East Main Street, Barstow, California. Written 
comments will be accepted through August 14, 1995.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be addressed to U.S.D.I., Bureau of 
Land Management, Needles Resource Area, 101 W. Spikes Road, Needles, 
California 92363.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: George R. Meckfessel, Planning and 
Environmental Coordinator, telephone (619) 326-3896.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Viceroy Gold Corporation has proposed 
expanded development of additional ore deposits adjacent to deposits 
currently being mined at the Castle Mountain open-pit, heap-leach gold 
mine. Under the mine's present permits, mining and processing 
activities could continue through December 31, 2010. Under the proposed 
expansion, these activities could continue through December 31, 2020. 
The proposal consists of expanding existing and planned open pit areas, 
consolidating two heap leach pads and eliminating two others, creating 
a new overburden storage area as well as expanding existing overburden 
piles, expanding growth media storage areas and partially backfilling 
the Jumbo South/Lesley Ann open pits. The proposed ten-year extension 
of the mining and processing phases of the mine would ultimately affect 
up to 1,437 acres of public and private lands, as compared to a total 
of 890 acres presently authorized.
    The EIS/EIR will consider alternative sitings of heap-leach pads 
and waste dumps, and backfilling alternatives. The EIS/EIR will examine 
potentially significant impacts to visual resources, air quality, 
cultural resources, groundwater quality/quantity, land use, vegetation, 
wildlife and cumulative effects.
Richard E. Fagan,
Area Manager.
[FR Doc. 95-17664 Filed 7-17-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-40-M