West Mojave Plan FEIR/S - Desert Managers Group

3.4.3.5 Coolgardie MesaThe Coolgardie mining district, about 15 miles northwest of Barstow, is within theproposed Superior-Cronese tortoise DWMA and overlaps with the west portion of the proposedLane Mountain Milkvetch Conservation Area. This part of the CDCA is managed for miningactivity under Multiple Use Class L (limited). Gasoline or hand-powered dry washing orsluicing has been done intermittently in this area since 1900 and the total historical output wasreported by Clarke (1970, p. 157) to be $100,000. The deposits are in a broad valley and thegold is found as mostly tiny particles in the upper few feet of alluvial cover.Although the heaviest concentration of mining claims lies to the west, there are twentytwomining claims within the Coolgardie Mesa portion of the proposed Lane MountainMilkvetch Conservation Area (see Table 3-51):Table 3-51Lane Mountain Milkvetch Conservation Area Mining ClaimsTOWNSHIP RANGE SECTION CAMC NUMBER CLAIM NAME11N 01W 03 178797264175274362274363274364274365274366274367Lane ViewSheepe-SheepeNew Century INew Century IIMillenium IMillenium IIMillenium IIIMillenium IV12N 01W 31Chapter 3 3-2370658970658980658990659002790943232S 46E 34 11963911964011964127050027248127271128042532S 47E 3233266188270373Rams Head #1Rams Head #2Rams Head #3Rams Head #4Malek F.L.P.Two Quartz #1Two Quartz #2Two Quartz #3J ZERO 1PETE3 WITHCES3 WITCHESRQ#5Rocky DogThere are a few very old pits scattered throughout the area. The vast majority of thesepits have been filled with sand, and vegetation is growing in the disturbed areas. There are a fewbuildings left at the Kinney camp, half a mile west of the proposed conservation area.Members of at least four recreational prospecting and mining clubs frequent the area.The larger clubs may have a membership of 400 families. Most of these individuals areoperating under casual use and may continue to do so as long as they reclaim their hand-dug pitsand the cumulative disturbance does not cause more than “negligible” disturbance. Clubmembers police themselves so as to not to cause unnecessary or undue degradation. One person