Silver City, NM – U.S.-based mineral exploration company Ivanhoe Electric submitted to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) a "relinquishment" of 642 mining claims on 13,264 acres in the Gila National Forest that it had staked in 2024 for copper exploration. According to the BLM, mining claim relinquishment is "the formal, voluntary surrender of all rights, title, and interest in an unpatented mining claim back to the federal government."
In February, the company 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. However, Ivanhoe's halt to mining exploration came within several weeks of strong community opposition to its proposal, including a petition in opposition to the proposal signed by nearly 3,500 people. Grant County passed a proclamation in June, spearheaded by Commissioner Nancy Stephens, to "preserve and protect" Pinos Altos and surrounding lands for their cultural, historic and ecological values in response to Ivanhoe's plans.
"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 has relinquished thousands of acres of claims in the Gila surrounding Pinos Altos. This decision reflects what local residents have said from the beginning: the Gila National Forest is a treasured landscape, valued for its rich biological diversity, cultural heritage, and exceptional recreational opportunities. Large-scale mining projects do not belong here. We will continue to stand firmly against any proposal that puts these irreplaceable resources at risk." said Allyson Siwik, Executive Director of Gila Resources Information Project and member of the statewide New Mexico Mining Watch coalition.
"Although the philosophy of conservationism with regard to public lands predates our nation's foundation, the original Gila National Forest was established on March 2, 1899. It must absolutely continue to exist as the model of the beautiful public land it was meant to be, that is to say, protected by the people and their duly elected public servants, for many lifetimes to come," said Father Cyprian Rodriguez, prior and founder of Our Lady of Guadalupe Monastery.
"Yet again, we are seeing that community pushback works. Even now, during this unprecedented period of rapid deregulation and constant attacks on public lands, people are standing up, making their voices heard, proving that we are not in fact powerless in determining the fate of the landscape, despite what these powerful companies might want us to believe. Everyone should feel proud right now of this incredible victory," said Luke Koenig, Gila Grassroots Organizer for New Mexico Wild.
"Everyone who loves the native plants of the Gila is breathing a sigh of relief today," said Donna Stevens, President of the Gila Native Plant Society. "We're happy to know that rare plants will persist in the areas where Ivanhoe had staked claims."
"The relinquishing of the Ivanhoe claims in the Gila National Forest shows that when the community bands together to protect its natural resources, it can ward off even the most powerful industries," said Patrice Mutchnick, Director of Heart of the Gila. "Protecting the Pinos Altos Range has obvious benefits for our economy, our watersheds and the overall health of our communities."
"The lands around Pinos Altos are among the most important and popular areas for birds and birders in the Gila region," said Dawn Smith, Conservation Chair of the Bird Alliance of Southwestern New Mexico. "We're glad that Ivanhoe has recognized that they are not appropriate areas for mineral exploration or mining."
In 2024, Ivanhoe Electric's subsidiary Pinos Altos Exploration staked 642 lode claims covering 13,264 acres of Forest Service and BLM land and on more than 200 parcels of private property encircling the community of Pinos Altos, located 8 miles north of Silver City.
In addition, Kennecott Exploration, the exploration arm of global mining giant Rio Tinto, staked 250 claims on 5,000 acres of Gila National Forest land. Other corporations are also rapidly laying claim to subsurface minerals throughout southwest New Mexico and other areas around the state.
