LAS VEGAS— The U.S. Department of the Interior announced today a two-year pause on new mining claims on land adjacent to Nevada’s Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge. Federal officials will also launch a public process to review a full 20-year withdrawal of the land from mining claims to protect it from pollution.

“This is a historic day for Ash Meadows and the entire Amargosa River watershed,” said Patrick Donnelly, Great Basin director at the Center for Biological Diversity and a longtime local resident. “Ash Meadows is the crown jewel of the Mojave Desert and mining pollution doesn’t belong anywhere near this ecosystem. With these protections in place it’ll remain a vibrant oasis for the many plants and animals whose survival depends on this beautiful place.”

Ash Meadows is one of the most biodiverse places in North America, with more than two dozen species of aquatic plants and animals found nowhere else on Earth. These include the famous Devils Hole pupfish. Mining in the area threatens to deplete scarce water resources and imperil the plants and animals that depend on them.

The campaign for the mineral withdrawal began in 2023, when Canadian mining company Rover Metals proposed drilling dozens of exploratory boreholes within a few thousand feet of the springs at Ash Meadows. The Center and allies quickly filed a lawsuit, and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management revoked the drilling approval days later.

Shortly thereafter, the Amargosa Conservancy, a local conservation group, spearheaded a broad-based campaign to get a mineral withdrawal for the area. The campaign was supported by the Timbisha Shoshone Tribe, the town advisory boards in the communities of Amargosa Valley and Beatty, and the Nye County Commission.

With the complex hydrology that gives rise to Ash Meadows, and the numerous rare organisms that live there, scientists have also been an important part of the campaign for the mineral withdrawal.

“I’m thrilled to see powerful new protections put in place to safeguard this irreplaceable ecosystem,” said Naomi Fraga, Ph.D., director of conservation at the California Botanic Garden. “I’ve made my life’s work studying and conserving the rare plants of the Amargosa River. As a lush oasis in one of the driest places on the planet, Ash Meadows is a unique biodiversity hotspot. It was heartbreaking to see mining companies on its doorstep.”

Residents up and down the Amargosa River have expressed concern about the prospect of mining on the borders of Ash Meadows. Rover Metals’ boreholes were slated to come within 1,500 feet of Fairbanks Spring, home to several endangered species of fish and wildflowers.

Today’s announcement prevents new mining claims from being staked and subjects existing claims to the scrutiny of a “validity exam” before they can be developed.

“This withdrawal is an important tool to stop the proliferation of mining claims near Ash Meadows,” said Donnelly. “But our work here is far from over. With hundreds of existing mining claims surrounding the refuge, we’ll remain vigilant with our attorneys on call in case another operation like Rover Metals tries mining here. We’ll be watching, and we’ll be ready.”