Bureau of Land Management Extends Public Scoping Period for Rhyolite Ridge Lithium-Boron Mine Project
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TONOPAH, Nev. – The Bureau of Land Management, Battle Mountain District, Tonopah Field Office will extend the public scoping period for the proposed Rhyolite Ridge Lithium-Boron Project by two weeks. The new deadline for submitting formal scoping comments is Feb. 3, 2023.
The proposed Rhyolite Ridge Project by Ioneer Rhyolite Ridge LLC would be located within the Silver Peak Range approximately 40 miles southwest of Tonopah, Nev., and 13 miles northeast of Dyer in Esmeralda County, Nev. The proposed project includes construction, operation, reclamation, and closure of a surface quarry using conventional surface mining techniques and associated facilities to mine lithium and boron. The project would employ up to 500 workers during construction and up to 350 workers during operations.
The Bureau of Land Management is holding one more public scoping meeting on Jan. 5, 2023, at 5 p.m. PST. Attendees must register in advance. If you have already registered, you do not need to re-register. Information on registering for the meetings can be found at https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2012309/510.
The purpose of the scoping process is to solicit public comments and identify issues and alternatives, as well as to initiate public consultation, as required, under the National Historic Preservation Act. The scoping meetings will provide an overview of the proposed project, the environmental review process and provide information on how members of the public can submit formal scoping comments.
No formal comments will be accepted during the online meetings, but public comments are being accepted via the website, email, and regular mail. All scoping comments must be received prior to the close of the scoping period or 15 days after the last public meeting, whichever is later, and should reference Rhyolite Ridge Mine in the subject line.
Formal comments may be submitted in the following ways:
- Online via the ePlanning website, https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2012309/510 via the Participate Now tab.
- By regular mail to: Scott Distel, BLM Project Manager, 50 Bastian Road, Battle Mountain, NV 89820.
- Email to BLM_NV_BMDO_TFO_NONRENEWABLE@blm.gov.
For more information, contact Scott Distel, Project Manager, at 775-635-4093. Individuals in the United States who are deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability may dial 7-1-1 (TYY, TDD, or TeleBraille) to access telecommunication relay services.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.