For a hundred years mercury was mined here using open-pit methods. Then somebody noticed gold. But it isn’t 100 years ago anymore.
Because of California environmentalist and the property being in three counties the McLaughlin Mine fell under three different air quality management districts, two state departments of fish and game regions, a state water resources board, a regional water quality control board and the Federal Bureau of Land Management. After only 327 permits were obtained the gold could be poured starting around 1985 until about 2003. Core samples show that gold is still present but cost is too high to extract it. In the early 90’s about a tenth of an ounce of gold could be gleamed from a ton of ore. This required a fleet of 85-ton haul trucks and two hydraulic shovels.
Today the mine has been widely recognized by both environmental and mining organizations for its rigorous environmental monitoring and its innovative restoration and land management.