News Release

 

For Release:     Friday, September 27, 2002                                        

Contact:   Jan Bedrosian (916) 978-4616 or Doran Sanchez (909) 697-5220

CASO 12-2002

 

BLM Determines Glamis-Imperial Mining Claims Are Valid

 

U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) State Director Mike Pool announced today that a team of mineral experts has determined that the mining claims associated with a proposed gold mine in eastern Imperial County are valid.

 

"This answers the question of whether the claims held by Glamis Imperial Corp. are valid and allows BLM to continue evaluation of the company's proposed plan of operations," he said.  "The validity examination was conducted by a team of BLM-certified mineral examiners and reviewed by a national panel of certified examiners."

 

BLM's next step is to review the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)/Environmental Impact Report (EIR) completed in November 2000 to determine if the EIS/EIR is still adequate to determine whether to approve or deny the mine.  That review is expected to take approximately three months.  Prior to any approval of the mine plan, BLM will engage in consultation with the Quechan Tribe.

 

BLM is formally transmitting the validity report to the Quechan Tribe and has made a commitment to engage in formal government-to-government consultation with the Tribe as early as next week.  Pool said, "We look forward to meeting with the Quechan Tribe." 

 

-BLM-