A federal judge has ordered an immediate halt to operations at the Colosseum Mine inside the Mojave National Preserve, ruling Dateline Resources must secure updated National Park Service approval to continue work. Conservation groups successfully argued that exploratory activities threaten irreparable environmental harm, while the company and DOJ maintained that 1985 BLM approvals granted "valid existing rights." The preliminary injunction allows up to 10 weeks for a safe shutdown and will remain while the lawsuit proceeds.
Judge Halts Colosseum Mine in Mojave National Preserve, Orders Immediate Shutdown
The National Parks Conservation Association sued the Trump administration, claiming Dateline Resources didn't have the proper approval to resume mining operations.
A federal judge on Monday ordered an immediate halt to mining activity at the Colosseum Mine in California's Mojave Desert, suspending gold and rare-earth exploration inside the Mojave National Preserve until the company obtains current National Park Service (NPS) approval or successfully challenges the order.
Conservations claim the mine is irreparably harming the Mojave National Preserve in California.
Background
The dispute pitted Dateline Resources and the Trump administration against conservation groups that argued the company's exploratory work threatened sensitive habitat and caused irreversible damage to the preserve. Conservation advocates, led by the National Parks Conservation Association, sued in April seeking to block operations inside the protected area.
Stephen Baghdadi (left), CEO of Dateline Resources, told the California Post he was "shocked" over the judge's decision Monday.
Legal Arguments
The Department of Justice and Dateline argued the mine had "valid existing rights" because the Bureau of Land Management approved an operating plan for the site in 1985 — prior to the creation of the Mojave National Preserve under the 1994 California Desert Protection Act. Dateline CEO Stephen Baghdadi called the ruling "shocking," saying the company expected an "even-handed look at the actual law."
The massive mine is valued for its potential gold and rare-earth minerals.
"The decision to allow Colosseum Rare Metals to operate within Mojave National Preserve without an approval by NPS is contrary to law," U.S. District Judge Christina Snyder wrote in her order.
Injunction Details and Next Steps
The preliminary injunction requires Dateline to stop operations immediately. The company has up to 10 weeks to safely secure the site and demobilize drill rigs, equipment and personnel. The injunction will remain in effect while the lawsuit proceeds unless Dateline obtains the required NPS authorization or successfully overturns the order on appeal.
The Colosseum Mine's operations are now halted.
Political and Industry Context
The Colosseum site is valued for both gold and deposits of rare-earth minerals, which are critical to modern electronics and national security. The decision is widely viewed as a setback for the Trump administration's effort to expand domestic rare-earth production and reduce reliance on foreign suppliers; President Trump had cited the mine as an example of his early administration's push to speed permitting for critical mineral projects.
What Comes Next: The injunction preserves the status quo inside the preserve while the courts consider whether the earlier BLM approvals confer ongoing rights or whether current NPS authorization is required for new activity within the protected area.
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