A proposal to expand the Castle Mountain gold mine south of Las Vegas would create jobs, but could revive the 2017 conflict over the size of the Mojave National Preserve.
The Bureau of Land Management is seeking public comments for the second expansion of the mine, which would expand the mine by 1,800 acres.
During his first term, President Donald Trump left the mine off a list for reductions, but California Republicans and Canada’s NewCastle Gold wanted the 21,000-acre preserve scaled back.
“It was designated for one purpose: to prevent the reopening of the Castle Mountain Mine,” Republican Congressman Paul Cook told The Desert Sun in 2017.
The mine is west of Laughlin, across the California border in eastern San Bernardino County.
It is the first mining project to receive full coverage as a FAST-41 project in response to Trump administration efforts to increase American mineral production, according to a BLM news release.
It is expected to create about 500 construction jobs and 400 support jobs. Once it is in operation, the mine is projected to employ 273 workers onsite.
Additional information is available at the BLM National NEPA Register, where comments may be submitted through the “Participate Now” option (preferred). Comments may also be delivered to: BLM Needles Field Office, ATTN: Castle Mountain Mine Phase 2 Project – Rose Pettiette, 1303 U.S. 95, Needles, CA 92363. The comment period will close June 1, 2026.
