SF Peaks/Mt Elden Mineral Withdrawal

The Bureau of Land Management has approved a two-decade extension of the ongoing San Francisco Peaks mineral withdrawal. The Coconino National Forest filed the application with the BLM in early August.

Public Land Order 7898 extends the original mineral withdraw for an additional 20 years, and is aimed at protecting the cultural significance, capital investments and dispersed recreational values in the defined recreation area.

Mining activities under the 1872 Mining Law will be prohibited, except actions authorized under an approved Plan of Operations on mining claims with prior valid existing rights. In order to establish valid existing rights in the withdrawal area, a mining claim must have been staked prior to the Federal Register notice date for the withdrawal (November 4. 1998).

In addition, the mining claimant must have proof that a valuable mineral had been discovered on the claim prior to the date of the Federal Register notice. It is still possible that mining could occur on existing claims within the withdrawal area, if they meet the criteria described above.

As of the date of the 2000 Environmental Assessment, there were 51 mining claims in the proposed withdrawal area totaling approximately 5,800 acres. Most of the claims are located in the northeastern portion of the withdrawal area surrounding the active pumice mining area and are presumably staked for pumice, or other volcanic rocks. There is one association placer claim located in the north-central part of the proposed withdrawal, on the White Horse Hills that is staked for limestone.

The Forest Service does not know how many of these might have valid existing rights; rather such information would only be forthcoming from the claimant if mining of the claim were proposed. If claimants who hold claims in the withdrawal area decide to propose operations pursuant to 36 CFR 228. subpart A, locatable mineral regulations, the Forest Service would conduct a validity examination on the areas to determine if there are valid existing rights.

Contact For Further Information

Sara Ferreira, Land Law Examiner, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), at 602-417-9598 or by email at sferreir@blm.gov, or contact the BLM, Arizona State Office, One North Central Ave., Suite 800, Phoenix, AZ 85004. Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339 to contact Ms. Ferreira. The FRS is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to leave a message or question. You will receive a reply during normal business hours.

Past Virtual Public Meeting & Providing Comments

A public meeting was held in August 2020, and documents regarding that meeting can be accessed below. The public was able to provide comments to the BLM by mail, fax, or email, up until Sep. 14, 2020. A big thanks to Milton Tso, Cameron Chapter President, The Navajo Nation; and Eddie Arreola, Project Manager, BLM, for assisting the Forest Service with the public meeting!