Date: December 27, 2004

CONTACT: Jamie Thompson, Public Affairs Officer, (775) 623-1500

RIGHTS-OF-WAY PROPOSED NEAR DENIO JUNCTION

The Bureau of Land Management Winnemucca Field Office announces the availability of an Environmental Assessment (EA) analyzing potential environmental effects from road and power line rights-of-way (ROWs) occupying the same half-mile long corridor applied for by three proponents. The proposed ROW corridor would be located about 1 mile west of Denio Junction on the north side of Nevada State Highway 140.

Two of the proposals are for a road that would provide access from Hwy 140 to private property. While the same road would be used by both proponents it would be for different purposes. John Tingue, owner of the private land, has applied for a 30-year ROW classified as Light Industrial Use to allow him access to his land for the benefit of his agricultural based business. Golden Phoenix Minerals, Inc. has applied for a five-year Heavy Industrial Use ROW to access Mr. Tingue's property for the purpose of conducting a pilot mineral processing test program that would involve processing up to 10,000 tons of molybdenum ore, hauled to the site by 25-ton dump trucks or 40-ton transports from the nearby Ashdown Mine, and for reclamation during and after the operating period.

The third proposal is for a power line that would be located along the east side of the road in the same ROW corridor. Harney Electric Cooperative, Inc., has applied for a 30-year utility ROW for the purpose of establishing a power line to supply power for the operation of the mill site and to supply power for the agricultural uses.

The EA is available for review on-line at: http://www.nv.blm.gov/winnemucca (look for “NEPA DOCUMENTS AND 2004 PLANNING SCHEDULE”, then “Tingue/Golden Phoenix/Harney Electric R/W”). More details on the proposed ROWs and hard copies of the EA may be requested by contacting Realty Specialist M. Lynn Trost at 775-623-1500.

The public is invited to provide signed, written comments on the proposals, with return addresses included, delivered either by hand, through the US Postal Service or via commercial delivery services to the BLM Winnemucca Field Office, 5100 E Winnemucca Blvd. Winnemucca NV 89445-2921. Comments must be received by the close of business on January 23, 2005 and no faxed or emailed comments will be accepted.

"The reason we accept only signed hard copy comments with return addresses is to assure that each comment is recorded accurately, exactly as the commenter intended and that they are credited to the correct source," said Ms. Trost, who added, "All qualifying, substantive comments will be considered in the decision making process."

- BLM -