Unregulated suction dredge mining harms important cultural resources and state water supplies. “This decision will make our rivers safer for wildlife, fisheries and our families.” “Suction dredge mining in any form pollutes our waterways with toxic mercury and destroys sensitive wildlife habitat,” said Jonathan Evans with the Center for Biological Diversity. Under the new regulation, the use of any vacuum or suction dredge equipment is defined broadly as the use of a suction system to vacuum material from a river, stream or lake for the extraction of minerals. The sluice box is one of several methods to separate gold from dredge spoils.
California law currently prohibits “any vacuum or suction dredge equipment” from being used in the state’s waterways, but because narrow rules previously defined a suction dredge as a “hose, motor and sluice box,” miners are simply removing the sluice box - an alteration that leaves dredge spoils containing highly toxic mercury piling up along waterways. Suction dredge mining uses machines to vacuum up gravel and sand from streams and river bottoms in search of gold. “This decision ensures that California’s water quality, fisheries and cultural sites will be protected from suction dredges and similar forms of mechanized recreational mining.” “We are very pleased with California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s decision to act quickly,” said Leaf Hillman, director of natural resources for the Karuk Tribe. Suction dredging is an environmentally harmful mining practice has been banned in California since 2009, but since early this spring miners have been making equipment modifications to suction dredges to exploit what they perceived as a “loophole” in the ban. The move will protect water quality, wildlife and fisheries from destructive forms of recreational mining. SACRAMENTO, Calif.- In response to an emergency request from a coalition of tribal, conservation and fisheries groups, California officials have closed a loophole in the state’s suction dredge mining ban.
Jonathan Evans, Center for Biological Diversity, (415) 436-9682 x 318Ĭalifornia Closes Suction Dredge Mining LoopholeĪll Motorized Recreational Mining Banned in California's Rivers
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