[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 61 (Thursday, March 28, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 13870]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-7495]



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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
[CA-065-06-1990-01]


Environmental Statements; California Desert Conservation Area, CA

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
for an open pit, heap leach gold mine on portions of public lands in 
the California Desert Conservation Area, Kern County, CA; and notice of 
scoping period and public meetings.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will be 
preparing a joint Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact 
Report (EIS/EIR) for addressing impacts of the proposed gold mine 
development in Kern County, CA. The BLM invites comments and 
suggestions on the scope of the analysis.

DATES: Public scoping meetings will be held on:

Date: April 16, 1996--Tuesday
    Time: 6:30 p.m.-10:00 p.m.
    Place: Rosamond High School,
    2925 Rosamond Blvd,
    Rosamond, CA 93560,
    Glennan Gymnasium
Date: April 17, 1996--Wednesday
    Time: 6:30 p.m.-10:00 p.m.
    Place: Mojave High School,
    15732 ``O'' St.,
    Mojave, CA 93501,
    Mustang Gymnasium

ADDRESSES: Scoping comments may be sent to: BLM Ridgecrest Resource 
Area Manager, 300 S. Richmond, Ridgecrest, CA 93555, Attn: Ahmed 
Mohsen, EIS Coordinator.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Golden Queen is proposing to construct and 
operate the Soledad Mountain Project, an open pit precious metals (gold 
and silver) mining and cyanide leaching processing operation at the 
Soledad Mountain project area located approximately five miles 
southwest of the town of Mojave in Kern County, California.
    The proposed action includes: construction of facilities; mining 
and processing of precious metals ores at the rate of three to four 
million tons per year for a period of ten to sixteen years; stockpiling 
of overburden materials; sales of overburden materials as aggregate and 
construction materials; and reclamation of the project site.
    The project area is approximately 1,228 acres, of which 959 acres 
are private land and 269 acres are unpatented mining claims on public 
lands administered by BLM. The proposed surface disturbance is 
approximately 782 acres on private lands and 153 acres on public lands. 
The proposed mining operation includes twelve interconnected open pit 
mining areas within the ultimate pit boundary of the proposed open pit.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ahmed Mohsen, BLM EIS Coordinator at 
(619) 384-5421.

    Dated: March 21, 1996.
Lee Delaney,
Area Manager.
[FR Doc. 96-7495 Filed 3-27-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-40-M