Joshua Tree Rare Earth Elements Mining Project

planned

An Australian mining company, Dateline Resources Ltd, has announced plans to explore and potentially mine rare earth elements next to California's Joshua Tree National Park. The project involves staking mining claims over approximately 32 square miles of desert land in the Pinto Mountains, near the park boundary. The mining is currently in the exploration phase, with early samples showing promising concentrations of heavy rare earth elements crucial for high-tech manufacturing. The project has raised environmental concerns due to its proximity to the national park and the habitat of the endangered Mojave desert tortoise.