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Bureau of Land Management · Mount Lewis Field Office · Mining

Cortez Pit Expansion Project

In Progress - Public Review and Comment PeriodDNACrescent Valley, Eureka, Nevada 89821DOI-BLM-NV-B010-2026-0021-DNACase NVNV106163597
Comments due 8/19/2026
Cortez Pit Expansion Project PP 1 · 12 already submitted

What the BLM is proposing

Hard Rock (Gold, Silver, Copper, Uranium, etc.)

Applicant: Nevada Gold Mines LLC

NGM proposes modifications to existing operations at the Nevada Gold Mines LLC (NGM) Cortez Gold Mine, which is located in Eureka and Lander counties in southern Crescent Valley, Nevada. The Proposed Action will modify or create the following activities in the Cortez Complex: • Create the East and West Airport waste rock facilities (“WRF”) and reclassifying authorized disturbance previously classified as the Airport borrow pit to WRF disturbance; • Expand the footprint and deepening the Cortez Pit and reclassifying portions of the Cortez WRF, the F-Canyon Pit, the Mill One process area, haul road, and ancillary disturbance; • Reduce the footprint of the Cortez WRF; • Create the Cortez Pits WRF East and reclassifying authorized disturbance previously classified as the Cortez heap leach and ancillary disturbance to WRF disturbance; • Add dewatering wells and pipeline; • Move authorized monitoring wells; and • Reclassify ancillary disturbance, a segment of the F-Canyon and Gold Acres haul roads, process area, and power line/water line corridor disturbance. The proposed Project will result in approximately two acres of new disturbance and 580 acres of reclassified disturbance inside of the Plan boundary. No change to the Cortez Mine Plan boundary is proposed. Dewatering will be required for the Proposed Action but will not exceed the currently permitted limits of 36,100 gallons per minute. The Proposed Action have no effect on the greater Cortez mine life or reclamation schedule. Due to ramping down of other mining activities in Cortez, workforce and equipment will be shifted to the area of the Proposed Action upon approval. Operations under the Proposed Action would begin in September 2026, or upon approval, and would continue for 3 years. This is within the Cortez District Mine Life of 2032, and the existing reclamation plan would remain unchanged. Cortez Pit mining would continue concurrently with other authorized mining. The Cortez Mine Bond would be updated to account for the approved actions.

Project timeline

Start date7/6/2026

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To: Eugene Gilseth · Bureau of Land ManagementRe: Cortez Pit Expansion Project · Mount Lewis Field Office

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Project documents · 1

Document1

This list reflects what the BLM has published and may be incomplete.

Who to contact

Office: Mount Lewis FO