A citizens’ group in Mammoth Lakes, Calif., is trying
to drum up opposition to a proposed open-pit gold mine a few miles
from town. Royal Gold Inc. has been conducting exploratory drilling
on Forest Service land, and a full-scale operation may begin once
the price of gold increases. Resident Bill McNeill, who founded the
new group, the Mono County Mining Committee, says the mine
threatens wilderness values and the area’s tourism-based economy.
Nearby Yosemite National Park and the Mammoth Mountain ski area
draw year-round visitors to Mammoth Lakes. Although the group hopes
to change mining policy in the entire county, says McNeill, “our
primary goal is to be certain that this particular mine does not
happen.” The committee has received formal support from the local
tourism commission and chamber of commerce, but the miners have the
advantage of the 1872 General Mining Law, which encourages mining
on public land. A public meeting with the Mono County Board of
Supervisors and the local planning commission is set for April 21,
when the group will discuss the county’s role in mining operations
on federal lands. For further information about the group’s
activities, call Bill and Linda McNeill at 760/934-4141, send
e-mail to rwmcn@qnet.com or write to P.O. Box 100, Mammoth Lakes,
CA 93546.
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline All that glitters….
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