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

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]

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