It was only five years ago in August 2020, during the turbulence and uncertainty of the pandemic, that the price of an ounce of gold reached $2,000 for the first time.
The project involved 12, 600-foot deep holes on some 1,900 acres. It would have required vegetation clearing and less than a mile of temporary access roads.
The four conservation groups which filed the suit worried the mining would disturb the bi-state sage grouse, an iconic bird known for its extravagant mating dances.