Mining
Mining has occurred in the California desert since the late 1880s and continues to the present day. The California Desert Conservation Area (CDCA) produces a variety of mineral commodities and has “excellent potential” for future production, according to the BLM’s CDCA Plan.1,2 Effects from mining include the construction of pits, ore dumps, and mine tailings, the evaporation of compounds from dry lake mine operations, and exposure of wildlife to radioactive materials.3 Rare-earth metals, for example, are currently being mined near the town of Mountain Pass in San Bernardino County (Figure 1). These rare-earth minerals have many uses; of particular interest is the importance of some of these minerals in the manufacturing of “green” technologies such as hybrid cars, wind turbines and compact fluorescent lightbulbs.4 In the case of Mountain Pass Mine, impacts have included radioactive wastewater leaks.5 The mining operation was shut down for several years due to environmental issues, though it was recently permitted to reopen, following statements from the mining company that these issues have been resolved.6 While the mined rare-earth materials are needed for environmentally friendlier energy and transportation alternatives, the environmental impact from producing these technologies is difficult to ignore.