Conservationists Urge Court to Block Mining in Mojave National Preserve

The National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) has filed a motion for a preliminary injunction to immediately stop mining operations at the Colosseum Mine within Mojave National Preserve, alleging irreparable damage to the fragile desert landscape. The motion, filed Tuesday in Los Angeles, seeks to block further activity at the mine, which was originally closed in 1993 and was in the final stages of reclamation by the National Park Service.

However, in April 2025, the Trump administration approved a reversal, allowing new mining to proceed. Recent grading, bulldozing, and road construction at the site have caused documented harm to the environment and limited public access to the preserve, according to the NPCA.

The NPCA, represented by Earthjustice, filed a lawsuit in April challenging the administration's decision, citing violations of multiple federal laws designed to protect national parks from harmful mining. The organization is now asking the court to intervene before further damage occurs.

"What's happening right now at Mojave National Preserve is gut-wrenching," said Chance Wilcox, NPCA's California Desert Program Manager. "To see parts of this landscape, in the heart of the Clark Mountains, being stripped bare and graded down to dirt is hard to put into words.

We can't sit by and allow irreparable damage to change this place that was promised to future generations."

Katrina Tomas, an Earthjustice attorney, emphasized the urgency: "Bulldozing, road construction, and mining within the Mojave National Preserve will irreversibly harm the desert landscape in one of our most treasured public places. The Colosseum Mine is proceeding with operations despite being in violation of national environmental laws.

We're seeking a preliminary injunction to halt this destruction before it's too late." The NPCA argues that the mining activity violates the California Desert Protection Act of 1994, which designated the area for permanent preservation. The court is expected to rule on the injunction request in the coming weeks.