Tonopah’s New Mining Boom: A Glimpse Into Nevada’s Future

As travelers journey from Reno to Las Vegas, they might barely notice the small town of Tonopah. Yet, beneath its quiet surface lies a community on the brink of a potential revival, driven by hopes of a mining resurgence.

Peter O’Dowd

Here & Now

Jeff Martin, host of the Tonopah Historic Mining Park.

Tucked in the Nevada desert, Tonopah was once the center of a bustling mining industry, extracting precious metals like silver and gold from its nearby mountains. Although the mines fell silent long ago, the town’s residents, numbering just over 2,000, are optimistic about a new mining wave.

“Anytime you have mining, you’re always going to have a rollercoaster ride. You have peaks and valleys. Good times, bad times,” said Jeff Martin, who oversees the Tonopah Historic Mining Park, a sprawling 100-acre museum on the historic mining site. Martin believes that prosperity is once again on the horizon for Tonopah.

The Emergence of a New Mining Era

Recent trends indicate a surge in the value of silver and gold. Following President Trump’s executive order to hasten development in critical minerals, such as gold, new projects have been set in motion around Tonopah. Among these is a highly anticipated lithium and boron mine slated for construction later this year.

Adding to this momentum, Zanskar, a geothermal energy firm, has identified a substantial geothermal reserve beneath the desert’s surface, with plans to establish a new power plant nearby.

A geothermal company stationed in a desert terrain. — A geothermal company discovered a reserve of hot rocks underground near Tonopah and has plans for a new power plant.

Further south, the town of Goldfield anticipates the launch of a new gold mine projected to begin operations in 2028. Although many of these initiatives were underway before Trump’s return to the presidency, his policies have found favor in Nye County, where he secured 70% of the vote in 2024.

“I feel like we’re in a boom right now, at the beginning of it,” said Joe Westerlund, the town manager. “Trump is kicking butt. I love the administration, and I think all the things they’re doing is what the United States needs.”

For Tonopah, the economic upswing associated with new mining jobs could prove vital. The town’s median household income stands at about $37,000 annually, significantly lower than Nevada’s average of $81,000 per census data. The town lost its hospital more than a decade ago, forcing residents to travel long distances for medical care.

Tonopah’s economy heavily relies on government positions and a nearby military test range, according to Joni Eastley, a former Nye County commissioner. “What I like to say is we aspire to be rural someday, but right now we’re still part of the frontier,” Eastley remarked. “From a practical point of view, it means there are few services.”

A residential neighborhood with a closeup of a stop sign. — A neighborhood in Tonopah, Nevada, where housing is in short supply.

Tonopah’s isolation presents challenges for accommodating new growth. Like many areas in Nevada, it’s difficult to develop affordable housing for workers. “There’s probably 100 vacant houses in town,” said Westerlund, “but they’re not livable.” The few available contractors are too busy to take on new projects. The town is collaborating with mining companies to address the housing shortfall.

Challenges Amidst Prosperity

As the leading gold-producing state, Nevada is poised to benefit from the mining-friendly stance of the federal administration, noted state geologist Simon Jowitt. “There’s a lot of interest in all sorts of different commodities in the state,” Jowitt commented. “We’ve got exploration looking at gold, silver, lithium, geothermal, zinc, copper. You name it, people are looking for it.”

A closeup of a wooden tombstone that reads, “Elias Nelson died September 4, 1907. Was struck by train while walking down tracks. He was deaf.” — The Old Tonopah Cemetery is a point of pride in town. Miners who died in the Belmont Mine fire of 1911 are buried there.

However, Jowitt also cautioned that commodity prices fluctuate, and no boom is eternal. Ironically, Trump’s significant reductions in federal staff have slowed some development initiatives. “It’s hard to fast-track when you don’t have the people to help the fast-tracking along,” he explained.

A major solar project near Tonopah, designed to compete with Las Vegas in scale, encountered a significant snag last fall, as reported by the Nevada Independent.

A man standing on an outdoor staircase of a motel, looking away from the camera and smiling. — Harry Chahal has been renovating the Dream Inn Motel in Tonopah, expecting that workers from the proposed mines will need a place to stay for several weeks at a time.

Despite the uncertainties, business owner Harry Chahal is investing in Tonopah’s potential. As the proprietor of the Dream Inn Motel, Chahal is renovating the establishment’s 39 rooms, adding new paint, carpets, and furniture. Although the past few years have been “super slow,” Chahal anticipates that miners will require temporary lodging as the projects unfold.

“I’m investing for the long term,” he said. “My personal opinion, if you don’t take the risk, you cannot [be a] success.”

This segment aired on March 19, 2026. View the original publication of this segment on the WBUR website.