At their regular meeting on Nov. 20, the Pershing County Commissioners voted to withdraw their protests regarding water rights applications (93213-93230) filed by Solidus Resources, LLC, with the Nevada Division of Water Resources on Jan. 19, 2024.
The Humboldt River Great Basin Water Authority removed their protest (93230) a week earlier pending Pershing County’s withdrawal of their protest.
Solidus plans to develop an open-pit gold and silver mine, the Spring Valley Mine Project, about 20 miles northeast of Lovelock in the Buena Vista Valley north of Coeur Rochester.
“As a result of our analysis, disclosures and stakeholder engagement, both Pershing County and the Humboldt River Basin Water Authority have agreed to withdraw their protests to our applications,” said Joseph Martini, vice president of operations at Solidus via e-mail.
“This is based on their conclusion, after review of the project groundwater model result and Monitoring, Management and Mitigation plan, that the project will not impact the Humboldt River watershed, nearby communities or local water right holders.”
Local miner Chuck Cummins objects to the removal of the protests by the “lame duck commissioners.” He has contacted Assemblymember Alexis Hansen and Senator Ira Hansen for their help.
He says his questions about the ownership of Solidus, LLC, remain unanswered. He objects to what he believes are foreign investors buying up 32,000 acre-feet of water rights.
“Why do these foreign investors make billions of dollars in Nevada using our water and yet the rural towns are so poor?” he asks.
“The Spring Valley Project is less than 100 miles from Fallon NAS. Isn’t there a law that restricts foreign ownership of mines that close to such a facility?”
Martini replies, “We have gone to great lengths to address the regulators, stakeholders and Mr. Cummins’ concerns. We are a North American platform that has been engaged in mining in the United States for 20 years.”