Federally-owned minerals in the public domain are classified into three categories:

 

 

 

With its extensive history in gold and silver mining, Nevada leads the West in abandoned mine lands, or AML, requiring remediation.

 

The BLM Ely District is scheduled to begin public scoping in May 2007 on a Barrick Gold, Inc., proposal to expand the Bald Mountain and Mooney Basin mines. The BLM will prepare an Environmental Impact Statement on the proposal that would combine the two mine sites, located in White Pine County approximately 70 miles northwest of Ely, into one unified plan of operation, entitled the North Operation Area.