Bears Ears Opens for Mining

On September 11, the first day the 1.2 million acres were opened up, miners filed 16 claims two months after President Trump shrank the monument by about 90 percent.

Local Miners File Claims

All claims appear to be filed by small-scale local miners with other jobs, small businesses, and an interest in uranium mining.

Environmental Concerns

Steve Bloch, an attorney for the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, warned hobby miners cause pollution and damage to monument resources.

“Hobby miners who want to go locate claims, play miner on the weekend, leave disturbance and pollution in their wake, that really damages the monument resources”

George Schultz Files Claims

George Schultz, an off-roading guide in Moab, filed three claims in the Lockhart Basin, calling staking a claim a 'step' in mining.

Kimmerle Mining Claims

Kimmerle Mining filed 13 claims, including two modifications to the 21-acre Easy Peasy mine and 11 additional claims nearby.

Kimmerle's Background

Kyle Kimmerle, a managing member of Kimmerle Mining, was appointed to Urano Energy's board in 2024 and operates a tire shop in Moab.

Bears Ears History

Bears Ears became a political battleground after Obama established it in 2016, with Trump slashing its size by 85 percent the next year.

Trump's Mineral Claims

Trump listed a 'grab bag of minerals' the lands may contain, including silver, copper, molybdenum, lead, uranium, vanadium, and zinc.