Date: January 16, 2004

CONTACT: Diane Hendry at (775) 623-1500

FLORIDA CANYON MINE EXPANSION PROJECT

The Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM)Winnemucca Field Office, has received a proposal from Florida Canyon Mining, Inc., to modify the current plan of operations and expand gold mining operations located south of Imlay in Pershing County, Nevada. The BLM is preparing an Environmental Assessment (EA) to analyze potential impacts from the proposed expansion. 

The modifications propose expanding the existing Headwaters Pit, Headwaters Waste Rock Dump, an existing heap leach pad, and the permit boundary as well as re-aligning the Section 34 Haul Road, developing an access/haul road through the Radio Tower West Pit backfill and reducing authorized exploration activities and disturbance. Seventy-seven acres of additional land disturbance would occur due to implementation of this proposal; twenty-four of which would be on public land.

The public is invited to provide written comments on the proposed expansion to the Winnemucca Field Office, Attention: Jeff Johnson, 5100 East Winnemucca Boulevard, Winnemucca, NV 89445-2921. A thirty-day comment period will also be available to the public once the EA is issued. For further information on the proposed mine expansion contact Chuck Johnson, Mining Engineer, or Jeff Johnson, Planning & Environmental Coordinator, at the Winnemucca Field Office (775) 623-1500.

- BLM -