March 2011 News of the desert from Sierra Club California/Nevada Desert Committee www.desertreport.org BY SUSAN JUETTEN WRITING A NEW CHAPTER Rare Earth Mining At Mountain Pass Located along Interstate 15, fifteen miles south of the Nevada state tion was seeking permits to ship it to Utah for milling. Wastewater line, a giant mine and processing complex is about to regain sig- is toxic, and has high salinity. Molycorp processes 14 individual rare nificance on the international commercial stage. Once the world’s earth elements dug out of an open pit, currently 1,500 feet across main source for rare earth elements and closed since 2002, the and 400 feet deep, smallish when compared to some pits, and des- LMountain Pass Mine is now scheduled to resume operations. tined to become larger as mining resumes. So-called rare earths are essential for the manufacture of hun- An extensive history of wastewater spills is perhaps the most dreds of electronic-age products, including wind turbines and com- notorious of the mine’s environmental mishaps. Approximately pact fluorescent bulbs, smart phones and hybrid vehicles, national 600,000 total gallons of wastewater were spilled between 1984 and defense-related uses and a myriad other indispensable applica- 1998 through multiple ruptures in a pipe transporting it to a final tions. The Toyota Prius hybrid automobile, for example, is said to evaporation pond at Ivanpah Flats, 13 miles to the northeast. The be the biggest green gobbler of rare earth materials of any object in pipe passed through several washes, crossed National Park Service the world. Lanthium-nickel-hydride (La-Ni-H) batteries are gradu- lands, and was adjacent to critical tortoise habitat in BLM-steward- ally replacing rechargeable batteries containing lead and cadmium ed land. Materials in the waste (and possibly groundwater) may and offer fewer disposal/recycling problems, among other advan- have included uranium, manganese, strontium, cerium, barium, tages. Desirable characteristics of rare earths include high conduc- CONTINUED ON PAGE 18 tivity, heat resistance, strength, and relatively low toxicity. Rare earth elements include the 17 lanthanides (La through Lu on the periodic table), plus scandium and yttrium. They are actually not all that rare and often occur together. However, they tend not to be concentrated in easily exploitable ore deposits, and they are difficult to separate out from their ore bodies. The Moun- tain Pass reserve is considered the richest site worldwide discov- ered to date. Since its closing, China has produced over 95% of the world’s rare earth elements. Mined nearly continuously since 1952, Mountain Pass ceased operations in 2002 except for minor processing of stockpiled ore after a series of environmental problems and increasing competi- tion from China. Now, after a lengthy process to permit a 30 year expansion plan, the latest owner, Molycorp, Inc., broke ground in January 2011 for an extensively reworked extraction and process- ing site. Molycorp states they will be mining fresh ore at the site some time in 2011 and will be operating at full capacity by the end of 2012. Mining rare earth elements is inherently risky. Radioactive ores often occur along with the rare earth elements. In the case SID SILLIMAN of Mountain Pass, sludge from evaporation ponds containing ura- Tailings and Structures at Mountains Pass - Clark Mountain in nium and thorium was of sufficient concentration that the corpora- the Background View From The Editor BY CRAIG DEUTSCHE FROM THE (RETIRING) EDITOR Looking Back And Looking Forward Five years have passed very slowly and also quickly. When articles for the Desert After a 30-second glance Report arrive at the last minute, when writers have emergencies that prevent into the Grand Canyon them from writing, or when pictures to accompany stories are unavailable, my when I was 18, I knew that hair turns noticeably more gray. My wife complains that I talk in my sleep dur- Fing the week immediately before an issue is printed. On the other hand, editing I had to return to see more the Desert Report has given me the privilege of meeting an astonishing number of our deserts. In college, I of truly fine persons, the authors of the many articles that have appeared. To be spent a week in Death Val- sure, I met many of these people only electronically, but that seems to be the ley through a program at norm for our age. To these people I wish to say thank you. You have been wise and knowl- edgable. You have been patient when I harped about deadlines and details. And you were San Jose State University where stu- gracious when my editing was heavy-handed and not always well informed. The fine stories dents were joined with professors to that I was privileged to read and print have been my reward. explore the geology, biology, and cul- It is time now for me to attend to new projects, and it is time for new leadership with this publication. For myself, volunteer work in the Carrizo Plain National Monument will tural heritage of the park. However, continue to be a priority. I expect to remain active with the Desert Committee, and my efforts what really got me out to explore the with the Desert Report will go more directly toward finding the monies that are needed for deserts was joining Desert Survivors printing and mailing. Perhaps, just perhaps, there may even be time left over to explore some 20 years ago. of the desert places that have been the subject of this publication. Kate Allen who is Outings Chair for the Desert Committee will be taking on the addi- I worked for the County of Santa tional task of maintaining the data base for the Desert Report. Tom Budlong will become the Clara for over 20 years in several crimi- person to whom circulation changes and donations are sent. Jason Hashmi who has been nal justice departments, including the responsible for the layout and graphic design of this publication will continue to perform this Department of Correction and Pre- service. On many occasions I have been complimented on the professional appearance of this newsletter, but it is to Jason that these credits should truly be addressed. trial Services. Last year, I realized that My final task is to introduce the new editor, Stacy Goss. I suspect that she does not it was time to move on and pursue entirely appreciate the magnitude of the commitment she has made. I am completely and rediscover the activities that held confident that she will master the details and do a truly fine job. I leave it to Stacy now to more interest to me. introduce herself. When I heard that the Desert Re- THANK YOU port needed an editor, I realized that While the printing expenses for the Many individuals have also contributed to this would be an opportunity to get to Desert Report have been largely provid- the Desert Report during the past six months know our deserts as I never could have ed by the California/Nevada Regional and their support is both essential and appre- otherwise, not just the lands, but the Conservation Committee, there are sev- ciated. These Sponsors of the Desert Report eral other organizations that have made with contributions of $100 or more are: people who care about these places additional and very significant contribu- and work to preserve them. I’m look- tions. It is appropriate here to recognize Jeff Aardahl, Guajaja, CA ing forward to this new endeavor and and thank: Sid Silliman, Upland, CA all that it offers. Tony de Bellis, Danville, CA Desert Protective Council Richard Garrison, Kent, WA San Gorgonio Chapter of Sierra Club Stacy Goss, Editor Desert Report West Los Angeles Group, Sierra Club, San Diego Chapter of Sierra Club Angeles Chapter 2 DESERT REPORT MARCH 2011 BY DAVID LAMFROM IN DEFENSE OF OUR NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM New Group Serves The Preserve When compared to Yellowstone and Sequoia National parks, formed in 1872 and 1890 respectively, the Mojave National Pre- serve, created in 1994 through the California Desert Protection Act (CDPA), may be the proverbial new kid on the block. But age isn’t Weverything. This 1.6 million acre wonderland is the third largest national park unit in the lower 48 states, smaller only than Death Valley and Yellowstone. Superlatives abound: the world’s largest Joshua Tree forest, 600-foot tall singing sand dunes, rugged “sky island” mountain ranges covered with pinyon-juniper forest, nearly 700,000 acres of designated wilderness, and rocky, sandy soils cov- ered with purple, blue, red, and pink carpets of flowers in spring. The Preserve is also renowned for its exceptional wildlife viewing, being a sanctuary for iconic species such as the desert tortoise, des- ert bighorn sheep, golden eagle, kit fox, and mountain lion. Although the Preserve is not widely known, it has developed a dedicated following. In 2009, several grassroots efforts to pro- tect and promote the Preserve came together to create a friends group. This effort was led by a diverse group of civic leaders, con- servationists, businessmen and women, writers, artists, and land CRAIG DEUTSCHE owners within the Preserve. Their shared care, effort, and voice Along the Mojave Road - Mojave National Preserve materialized into the formation of the Mojave National Preserve Conservancy (MNPC). This groups’ stated mission is: • Preserve, protect, and promote the unique natural beauty, ecolog- ical integrity, and rich cultural history of Mojave National Preserve • Build a community dedicated to the enduring stewardship of Mo- In This Issue March 2011 jave National Preserve The Conservancy is a non-profit organization built on individ- Writing A New Chapter: Rare Earth Mining At Mountain Pass ........