The Grassy Mountain Gold Project is a proposed underground gold mine located in Malheur County, Oregon, developed by Paramount Gold Nevada Corp. The project includes mining operations, a processing facility, water and power infrastructure, and site reclamation.

It is located approximately 22 miles south of Vale, Oregon, within the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Vale District.

Paramount Gold Nevada Corp. is the project proponent. The permitting process is led by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM), in collaboration with state and federal agencies and Tribal governments.

The project is designed to produce approximately 47,000 ounces of gold and 55,000 ounces of silver annually over an estimated eight-year mine life. Ore will be extracted from underground workings and processed through a 750 tonne-per-day (tpd) milling operation that utilizes carbon-in-leach (CIL) recovery technology. The process is expected to achieve gold recovery rates of approximately 93% and silver recovery of around 78%.
In addition to metal production, the project incorporates robust environmental protection measures and a comprehensive reclamation plan to ensure responsible resource development and long-term site restoration.

A DEIS is a federally required document under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). It assesses how a proposed project could impact the environment and evaluates potential alternatives and mitigation strategies.

The DEIS was prepared by the Oregon BLM, with input from cooperating agencies such as DOGAMI, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Oregon DEQ (Department of Environmental Quality), Tribal governments, and others.

The DEIS includes assessments of water use, air quality, wildlife habitat, climate impacts, noise, cultural and historic resources, visual impacts, traffic, socioeconomic effects, and land use.

You can download the DEIS and supporting documents from the BLM’s ePlanning site or from this website’s Environmental Review section.

No. The DEIS is a draft document open for public review. Feedback received during the public comment period will be used to develop the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS), expected in late 2025.

Anyone. Community members, Tribal members, farmers, ranchers, business owners, NGOs (Non-governmental organizations), researchers, and the general public are all welcome to participate.

You can submit your comment through the BLM ePlanning portal [insert link], by mail, or in person at a public meeting (if scheduled).

Comments can express support or concern, provide additional information, or suggest alternatives. The most substantive and useful comments are specific and respectful, and are related to the content of the DEIS.

Yes. The comment period is open from September 8, 2025.

Once submitted, substantive comments become part of the official public record for the project. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and its cooperating agencies will review all substantive comments as part of the process to develop the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS).

Your comment will be reviewed by:

• The BLM’s environmental review team
• Subject matter experts (e.g., hydrology, wildlife, archaeology)
• Partner agencies involved in permitting (e.g., Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)
• Project analysts responsible for drafting the FEIS

The Final EIS will:

• Summarize all substantive comments received
• Respond to substantive comments
• Explain whether and how the project has been revised based on public input
• Include any additional analysis triggered by substantive comments
• Identify the preferred project alternative (if applicable)

Yes. Substantive comments submitted during the DEIS review process become part of the official public record in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

• Your name and the substance of your comment may be included in the Final EIS or a public comment summary report.
• Contact details such as personal addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses are generally redacted to protect individual privacy.
• Anonymous substantive comments are accepted, though those with identified sources may be given greater consideration.
• If you have privacy concerns, you may include that note as part of your submission.

The project is designed to minimize impacts to local ranching and agriculture. The DEIS confirms that groundwater use will not significantly affect nearby wells, and robust containment systems will protect against water contamination.

To safeguard grazing lands, the project will include secure fencing around the disturbance area to prevent livestock access and ensure ranching operations can continue safely nearby. A full reclamation plan will restore land post-mining. The Company is committed to responsible development that coexists with local agricultural use.

Yes. Tribal governments have been formally consulted as part of the NEPA process. The DEIS includes an analysis of potential impacts to cultural and historical resources.

Paramount Gold is required to follow cultural resource protection laws. If new discoveries are made, work will pause and appropriate protocols will be followed in coordination with Tribal authorities.

No. The project’s water use (72 gallons per minute annual average over the life of the operating mine) is well below the 900 gpm water rights approved by the Oregon Water Resources Department. These rights have been held since the 1980s and make up ~95% of the basin’s allocation. Studies show stable groundwater levels.

The project includes state-approved monitoring and mitigation plans to protect springs and other users.

Grassy Mountain Mine Project: Draft Environmental Impact Statement, Section 2.2.1 and 3.11.1.2

Elevated arsenic levels are naturally present in groundwater near the mine, with years of baseline monitoring showing concentrations consistently above federal drinking water standards. The city of Vale is more than 20 miles away and lies in a separate groundwater basin, making impacts to its water supply extremely unlikely. Any water or waste produced by mining will be stored in engineered containment systems built to meet or exceed state and federal environmental standards. These systems are monitored throughout the life of the mine and will be permanently sealed at closure to ensure long-term protection of the surrounding environment. Therefore, the risk of the mining operation causing any arsenic contamination over the already elevated baseline is extremely low.

Grassy Mountain Mine Project: Draft Environmental Impact Statement, Section 3.11.1.4

Grassy Mountain Gold Project Groundwater Reports; SPF Water Engineering, LLC, December 8, 2021

The mining wastes, such as tailings and waste rock, are natural materials and do not contain added chemicals. While they can potentially react with water and air, the tailings will be managed in engineered containment facilities designed for long-term environmental protection. Waste rock will be used to backfill the underground mine. All non-mining materials (e.g. trash, used tires, broken equipment, construction/demolition debris, residual chemical like lime, etc.) will be removed at closure. No chemicals used in the mining and gold recovery process will remain onsite after mining ends.

Grassy Mountain Mine Project: Draft Environmental Impact Statement, Section 2.2.4

The beneficiation process involves grinding ore into fine particles and mixing it with water to create a slurry for gold recovery. The slurry after gold recovery is called tailings. Water separates from the tailings solids in a lined facility and is continuously recycled to reduce groundwater use. All mining wastes and water are stored in engineered containment systems designed to meet or exceed regulatory standards, minimizing the risk of leakage. At closure, water is removed from these facilities before they are permanently sealed using engineered methods to ensure long-term environmental protection.

Grassy Mountain Mine Project: Draft Environmental Impact Statement, Section 2.2.4

The project is located outside core sage grouse habitat, on the edge of a low-density habitat zone. The underground design significantly minimizes surface disturbance. The project’s wildlife mitigation plan describes how the project will comply with ODFW’s GRSG habitat mitigation program which requires compensatory mitigation for impacts to this species and its habitat. Additional wildlife protection plans have been approved by ODFW and other agencies.

Wildlife Resources Baseline Report; EM Strategies, October 2020
Revised Wildlife Protection Plan; Mason, Bruce and Girard, Inc., July 20, 2022
Revised Wildlife Mitigation Plan; EM Strategies and Mason, Bruce and Girard, Inc., August 2023

Yes. The tailings impoundment will be permanently closed using engineered methods, covered, and vegetated; to protect the environment. No chemicals used in the mining and gold recovery process will remain, and all surface infrastructure will be removed. Reclamation will meet strict state and federal standards to ensure the site is safe, stable, and environmentally sound long-term.

The project is currently progressing through the federal permitting process under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). On August 8, 2025, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) released the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS), which initiated a 30-day public comment period ending on September 8, 2025.

Following the close of the comment period, the BLM will review feedback and prepare the Final EIS and Record of Decision (ROD). According to the BLM’s published schedule, these documents are expected to be released on December 19, 2025 (https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2030186/510).

Upon receipt of final permits from both the BLM and the DOGAMI, the Company will begin the preparations for potential construction financing and operations. Production operations anticipated to span approximately eight years are in line with the projected mine life.

Yes. The project is expected to generate local jobs, support small businesses, and contribute to the regional tax base. Local hiring and procurement are part of Paramount Gold’s commitments.

You can sign up for updates through this website, check the BLM ePlanning page , or attend public meetings.

Yes, for ease of reference, please see the list below: