"Newmont Gold Company (Newmont) proposes to conduct mineral exploration activities on public lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Elko Field Office and split estate lands (BLM-surface; Newmon-minerals). The proposed action, the Woodruff Creek Exploration Project, is described in the proposed Woodruff Creek Exploration Plan of Operations and Reclamation Permit Application dated May 1996 ... The Woodruff Creek Exploration Project lies within Newmont's administrative area known as the South Operations Area of the Carlin Trend. The Carlin Trend is a 46-mile-long, northwest-trending, mineralized belt in northern Nevada that contains gold, silver, barite and other minerals ... The purpose for the proposed Woodruff Creek Exploration Project is to define the nature and extent, shape, and economic value of precious metal-bearing deposits within the proposed project area. Proposed drilling operations are needed for the preparation of future mine development"--Page 1-1-1-2.