05/22/2026
On Monday, May 18th, 2026, Canadian company, K2 Gold, officially began its recently approved 2nd phase of gold exploration on Conglomerate Mesa. Conglomerate Mesa is the traditional homeland of the Lone Pine Paiute Shoshone and Timbisha Shoshone Tribal Nations, both of whom oppose mining on Conglomerate Mesa. 11 tribes were consulted about the project, and their view was that K2 Gold’s proposed mining activities would cause permanent adverse impacts on Conglomerate Mesa.
Over 14,000 people submitted comments to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), voicing their concerns and opposition. As a result of this public input, the BLM is requiring K2 Gold to access Conglomerate Mesa by helicopter only, to reduce the number of drill sites, and to build timber-frame pads to minimize ground disturbance. Despite these changes, the project’s impact remains high, with 6 months of 24/7 drilling, 555 helicopter flights from Lone Pine Airport, and over 10,000 gallons of water usage. In addition, K2 Gold has already announced plans for a 3rd phase of exploration.
Local conservation groups and citizens are carefully monitoring all activities related to K2 Gold’s exploration project and are dedicated to protecting this desert gem.
