Defenders Celebrates as Mining Company Signals Intent to Leave Ash Meadows

A Canadian mining company with intent to mine lithium near Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge appears to have walked away from the project. Defenders of Wildlife today celebrates the end of this proposed mine that posed potential irreparable damage to the Refuge and critical wildlife habitat.

“At a time when extractive industries have public lands and fragile habitats in their crosshairs, this move demonstrates the importance of putting wildlife and the long-term integrity of our nation’s great landscapes ahead of short-sighted commercial gain,” said Nathan Marcy, senior federal lands policy analyst for Defenders of Wildlife. “This is a great day for the Refuge and the communities that have fought for its protection.”  

Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge is a fragile ecosystem that is home to threatened and endangered species found nowhere else in the world. These include the Devils Hole pupfish, three other species of fish and seven species of flowering plant. All are dependent on the sensitive aquifer that feeds the Refuge’s famous springs.  

Earlier this year, the Department of the Interior proposed a mineral withdrawal that temporarily halted new mining claims and leases near the Refuge, pending agency review and public input.