Tribes, Conservationists and Fishermen Ask State to Close Loophole in California's Suction Dredge Mining Ban

SACRAMENTO, Calif.— A coalition including environmental organizations, fishermen and the Karuk tribe submitted a formal petition to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife today asking the agency to close a loophole it created allowing recreational miners to return to a technique called suction dredging by making equipment modifications that sidestep state law and worsen impacts to the environment. Because state wildlife officials narrowed state rules to define a suction dredge as a hose, motor and sluice box, miners are simply removing the sluice box — an alteration that leaves dredge spoils containing highly toxic mercury piling up along waterways.
http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/press_releases/2013/suction-dredge-mining-03-20-2013.html