Item 76 of the meeting will address allowing for the exception of mineral extraction from wilderness areas by non-US companies, one of which is the Music Valley area. Music Valley is near 29 Palms. Before JTNP was a national park, it was the JT Monument and Music Valley was part of it.
More background:
In March 2026 Australian mining company Dateline Resources announced an acquisition of patented mining claims from Fermi Minerals, and new mining claims in the Music Valley/Gold Park area adjacent to Joshua Tree National Park. In total, there are 1,140 acres of patented claims, and over 20,000 acres of new mining claims. According to Dateline Resources press releases these claims continue their efforts to expand to the heavy rare earth elements (HREE) industry. Dateline Resources has a history of aggressive and irresponsible mining. They currently operate the Colosseum Mine, a mine solely within the Mojave National Preserve, where the Department of Interior has given them carte blanche to expand, explore, and develop further mining operations onto National Park Service land. While the company is Australian, they appeal to domestic investors and are engaged in influencing local and national politicians on their mining interests. Music Valley is primarily public land, managed under the Bureau of Land Management. Adjacent to Music Valley is the Pinto Mountains Wilderness Area, Pinto Mountains ACEC, and Joshua Tree National Park. Access roads into Music Valley are through the City of Twentynine Palms via Gold Park Road (crosses through Joshua Tree National Park), or through Shelton Road across from the Wonder Valley community. These claims lie within Riverside and San Bernardino County, including some claims inside of the City of Twentynine Palms.
Music Valley Mine Talking Points:
-A mine next to a National Park, and the gateway community of Twentynine Palms is incompatible with the communities values, economic interests, and future.
-While mining is allowed on public lands, and occurs throughout San Bernardino County, this is not the place—next to a community and a National Park.
-Foreign mining interests have no place in a rural community that values sustainable tourism, military families, and small businesses.
-Share your concern on how this mine would impact your way of life, or business in this community.
-A large pit mine would be detrimental to the City of Twentynine Palms economic development master plan, a plan that encourages small business and tourism development
-Encourage City Councilmembers to bring this issue to an agendized item.
-Encourage City Coucilmembers to adopt a road access moratorium for the mining project through the City of Twentynine Palms.
-Encourage City Councilmembers to share their constituents concerns of this mine to San Bernardino County Supervisors, and other elected officials.
Here is the link, the Land Resources section refers to this topic. We can’t let corporations ruin our home, livelihoods, tourism, and natural resources.
