Silver City, NM – Today, U.S.-based mineral exploration company Ivanhoe Electric withdrew its geophysical survey Plan of Operations for mineral exploration in the Gila National Forest, citing marginal prospectivity for a high‑quality porphyry copper system in the Pinos Altos area. As a result, they will not be pursuing more in‑depth exploration techniques that would require an approved Plan of Operations.
"Our community has spoken – over 3000 voices sent a clear message – the Gila is not the place for more industrial-scale mining," said Todd Schulke, cofounder of the Center for Biological Diversity. "The other huge mining companies with their eyes on the Gila should take heed – our community won't back down from protecting the place we love the most," added Schulke.
"We are relieved that Ivanhoe's exploration proposal will not move forward. This decision reflects what local residents have said from the beginning: the Gila National Forest is a treasured landscape, cherished for its rich biological diversity, cultural heritage, and world-class recreational opportunities. We will continue to stand firmly against any project that puts these irreplaceable values at risk." said Allyson Siwik, Executive Director of Gila Resources Information Project.
"Cheers to Grant County's elected leaders and community members of all stripes who together stood up to convey to Ivanhoe that the Gila's communities and landscapes are too important to sacrifice to a new mine. Let us channel this win for the community, for wildlife, and for water into a renewed sense of vigilance, as current federal policies incentivize and encourage new mine development and other mining companies are therefore looking for opportunities to develop new mines the Gila region," said Bjorn Frederickson, Conservation Director with New Mexico Wild.
In 2024, Ivanhoe Electric's subsidiary Pinos Altos Exploration staked 642 lode claims covering 13,264 acres of Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and on more than 200 parcels of private land encircling the community of Pinos Altos, located 8 miles north of Silver City.
Other companies, including Kennecott Exploration, the exploration arm of global mining giant Rio Tinto, are staking large numbers of claims on Gila National Forest land. Other corporations are also rapidly laying claim to subsurface minerals in other areas around the state.
Conservation and community organizations sent a letter outlining their concerns with the impacts of the exploration activities on the forest's natural resources and wildlife, recreational opportunities, property values of homes located adjacent to the Gila National Forest, and the local economy.
To date, more than 3,100 people have signed a petition to the Forest Service with their concerns about the proposal. In response to community input, the Gila National Forest District Ranger Elizabeth Toney committed to "maintaining transparency throughout this process and ensuring that opportunities for public input are available as the project proceeds through the appropriate review steps."
Our Lady of Guadalupe Monastery is also under threat from the Ivanhoe Electric exploration project. Claims have been improperly staked by the company on their private land, and they are rightly concerned about the negative impacts of mining activity on their contemplative community. They made an informational presentation to the Grant County Commission last week, appealing to local leaders for support to protect their community.
The Grant County Commission is considering a resolution in response to the Monastery's request.
