West Mojave Plan FEIR/S - Desert Managers Group

3.4.3 Mineral Potential and DevelopmentThis section describes (1) the mineral potential of the western Mojave Desert; (2)strategic and critical minerals found in the planning area; (3) the region’s most importantdeposits, (4) current and historic mineral commodity production; (5) issues unique to CoolgardieMesa, and (6) restoration and reclamation procedures. Additional materials, including adescription of mineral management programs adopted by BLM, state and local governments, canbe found in Appendix P.3.4.3.1 Mineral PotentialThe Southern California region, including portions of the Mojave Desert, is one ofthe most highly mineralized areas in the United States. The minerals are grouped into fourcategories: metallic minerals, industrial/nonmetallic minerals, energy minerals, and constructionmaterials. These are classed on public lands by disposal categories that include: locatable,leaseable, and saleable. Current management practices are described in part 3.4.3.6. Mineralpotential maps (Maps 3-19, 3-20, 3-21 and 3-22) show zones of moderate and high potential foroccurrence of mineral resources 31 .According to the U.S. Bureau of Mines, undiscovered mineral deposits likely exist withinthe western Mojave Desert, with quantities and grades of minerals that would support profitabledevelopment (U.S. Bureau of Mines, Oct. 1993, Executive Summary, p. 4). When the U.S.Bureau of Mines asked which deposits were the most important non-operating deposits in theDesert Tortoise Priority Habitat (DTPH; Categories I & II), it was found that the commoditieswith the most value include borate, decorative stone, and gold, and collectively accounting for 87percent of the total in place value (Almquist, et al., 1993, p. 4). The expected value forundiscovered mineral deposits, at 1992 prices and technology, is over $2 billion (U.S. Bureau ofMines, Executive Summary, Oct. 1993. p. 5; Almquist, et al, 1993, p. 15).Tables 3-46 and 3-47 show acres of moderate and high mineral potential and percentageof those areas having mineral potential.31 Maps are based largely on the mineral inventory for the BLM’s CDCA Plan (1980) and supplemented in mostareas by the Mineral Resource Zones (MRZ) from the SMARA classifications done by the California Department ofConservation, as well as classifications completed by the USGS and the U.S. Bureau of Mines for wilderness studyareas. An explanation of the process for gathering and summarizing the data may be found on page 97 of the CDCAPlan. An explanation of the methodology of the mineral inventory may be found on pages 1-15, Vol. G, AppendixXIV of the Final EIS and Proposed Plan for the CDCA. The BLM mineral potential classification system may befound in BLM Manual 3031 (Energy and Mineral Resource Assessment). It should be emphasized that thisclassification system is for occurrence and not development of mineral resources.Chapter 3 3-217