KORE Mining, Ltd, a Canadian gold exploration company, has received permits and can start drilling for gold at Hot Creek across from the Hot Creek Ranch, anytime. Drilling forces wildlife out of the area for a summer and scars the landscape for the next five to ten years. But the worst part is that it opens a Pandora’s Box.  Some people say, “It’s only drilling, don’t worry. Most exploration projects don’t become gold mines.” But mines do follow, when they find gold; or more gold in our case. Once KORE Mining determines there’s gold deeper underground at the Hot Creek site, we will have a permanent threat of a gold mine. 

Photo credit: M. McClain

This exploratory drilling project is intended to sweeten the pot for investors. KORE Mining is speculating that there is a more concentrated layer of gold below the upper layer that Royal Gold defined through their drilling in the 1990s. KORE is telling investors that the first 150 feet of earth could be profitable now, and the layer below, which KORE is now exploring, should yield even more gold. If that is confirmed, the pressure for a mine will intensify.

In fact, Kore Mining’s website is already aggressively promoting an open pit, cyanide heap leach gold mine, now. Imagine an industrial-scale open pit mine from Antelope Springs Road to Hot Creek erasing the entire plateau in between. The pit and mining would be seen and heard from the Highway 395 to the Owens River. When you stand at the Hot Creek Geologic Site overlook, you’d look across and see a huge hole in the ground and growing piles of tailings and ore with trucks moving dirt 24/7. The mountain of leached rock will be toxic for a lifetime. All it takes is for a mining company to buy Kore’s claims.