Within days of Ivanhoe Electric's withdrawal of its draft exploration Plan of Operations, GRIP discovered that Rio Tinto, through its subsidiary Kennecott Exploration, had filed with BLM and the Grant County Clerk's Office documentation for 250 lode claims on approximately 5,000 acres of the Gila National Forest near the Continental Divide Trail, northwest of Silver City. To date, Rio Tinto has neither contacted the Gila National Forest nor submitted an exploration proposal. The Gila National Forest is a treasured landscape, cherished for its rich biological diversity, cultural heritage, and world-class recreational opportunities. GRIP will continue to track these claims and stand firmly against any project that puts the Forest's irreplaceable values at risk. Please sign the petition if you haven't already at: https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/tell-the-forest-service-to-protect-the-gila-national-forest-from-mining, and tell the Forest Service to provide for public notice, public participation and public review of any exploration or mine Plan of Operations that is submitted. #GRIP #ResponsibleMining #GilaNationalForest #TakeAction #SignThePetition

Global mining companies have recently staked hundreds of mineral claims over nearly 20,000 acres in the Gila National Forest. GRIP has been coordinating efforts to hold mining companies and land managers accountable. Join our email list at https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/IzR2Kgk/GRIPSignup to ensure you have the latest updates on this issue and find out how you can stand up for the Gila! #GRIP #ResponsibleMining #GilaNationalForest #JoinNow