Federal Judge Blocks Lyon County Mine Land Sale as Lawsuit Challenges BLM Deal
A federal judge has put the proposed sale of more than 2,000 acres of public land around the Anaconda Copper Mine in Lyon County on hold, delaying a transfer to Atlantic Richfield Co. while a lawsuit over the deal moves forward.
U.S. District Judge Miranda Du issued the injunction after Great Basin Resource Watch, Prayer Horse Inc. and Taboosi Dikudu NO’Obatu Numma Cooperative challenged the Bureau of Land Management’s approval of the sale. The Nevada Independent reported that the court found the government had not justified how the sale served the public interest and failed to consider reasonably foreseeable future mining effects.
The land sits in and around the former Anaconda Copper Mine near Yerington, a contaminated site in Lyon County’s Mason Valley. A Federal Register notice described the site as an abandoned open pit copper mine and processing facility.
The practical consequence is immediate. The sale cannot proceed for now, preserving federal involvement while the court reviews the broader challenge.
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Opponents argue the transfer would move public land and mineral rights into private hands while weakening public oversight of cleanup and possible future mining. Nevada Current reported that the transfer would include mineral and estate rights at no cost to Atlantic Richfield.
BLM and company aligned arguments focused on efficiency. Court reporting said federal officials argued the sale would help streamline cleanup and reduce administrative burdens, while ARCO’s attorney said consolidating land ownership would allow a more efficient process.
The case has also drawn local reaction. KUNR reported that tribal advocates and environmentalists gathered near the Reno federal courthouse before the hearing, with nearby residents raising concerns about contamination and dust from the mine site.
The next step is the underlying lawsuit, which will determine whether the land sale can move forward after the injunction stage.
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