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Department of Justice Says Existing Plan of Operations Authorizes Activities
SAN BERNARDINO, CA / ACCESS Newswire / July 13, 2026 / Dateline Resources Limited (ASX:DTR,OTC:DTREF)(OTCQB:DTREF)(FSE:YE1) (Dateline or the Company) notes that the U.S. Department of Justice has submitted its opposition motion in the United States District Court for the Central District of California. This is in regard to the proceedings brought by the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) against the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), the National Park Service (NPS) and related federal parties.
The proceedings concern the April 2025 recognition by the Department of the Interior and National Park Service of Dateline's Valid Existing Rights at the Colosseum Mine in San Bernardino County, California.
The DOJ submitted that the existing Plan of Operations remains operative, authorizing ongoing activities at the Colosseum Mine. The DOJ further submitted that the National Park Service's April 2025 correspondence simply confirmed the legal effect of the existing approved Plan and was not a new approval.
Dateline notes that these submissions are consistent with the Company's long-held position that activities undertaken at Colosseum have been conducted within the scope of existing federal approvals and applicable regulatory requirements.
Dateline's Managing Director, Stephen Baghdadi, commented:
"The Department of Justice's submissions closely reflect the position Dateline has maintained throughout these proceedings. The Federal Government's filing confirms its view that the existing Plan of Operations remains effective and that the National Park Service's 2025 correspondence was not a new authorization of mining activities but simply recognized the legal status of an existing approval.
"The DOJ submission clearly notes the repeated language employed in correspondence by the various Government agencies over time that the ‘Valid Existing Rights' are still in place. The NPCA has not submitted any evidence that asserts that the Valid Existing Rights have been terminated.
"The DOJ's submissions also recognize the broader public interest in allowing lawful mineral exploration activities to continue while the underlying legal issues are determined. Colosseum represents one of the few advanced U.S. gold projects with demonstrated rare earth potential, supporting the development of domestic critical mineral supply chains.
"While the United States Government is defending the actions of the Federal agencies, Dateline has separately filed its own opposition and supporting evidence to protect the Company's interests as the owner and operator of the Colosseum Project. The Company's submissions complement, and are broadly consistent with, the legal position advanced by the U.S. Government."
Background to the Proceedings
The National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA), a Non-Government Organization, commenced proceedings against the US Department of the Interior, the National Park Service and certain individuals concerning mining activities at Dateline's Colosseum Gold and Rare Earths Project. The proceedings challenge an April 2025 letter from the National Park Service recognizing Dateline's Valid Existing Rights under the mine's approved Plan of Operations.
At the beginning of July, Dateline and its subsidiary, Colosseum Rare Metals, Inc., sought leave to intervene in the case as owners and operators of the Colosseum Project.
On 6 July 2026, the US Department of Justice, acting for the U.S. Government, filed its opposition motion to NPCA's application. The DOJ argues the approved Plan of Operations remains in effect.
Summary of the DOJ's Opposition
The DOJ submitted NPCA is unlikely to succeed because the April 2025 National Park Service letter is not a final agency action subject to challenge under the Administrative Procedure Act. According to the DOJ, the letter merely confirmed the existing legal position. The DOJ also argues the California Desert Protection Act expressly preserved "Valid Existing Rights" when the Mojave National Preserve was created in 1994. An approved Plan of Operations forms part of those protected Valid Existing Rights and an extended period of inactivity does not automatically terminate an approved Plan of Operations.
The DOJ says NPCA has not demonstrated imminent and irreparable harm. DOJ also states,
The Colosseum project occupies a previously disturbed mining area.
Access to the surrounding Clark Mountains remains available by an alternative route.
Claims concerning future harm from noise, dust, vegetation removal and full-scale mining are speculative.
The Colosseum site remains subject to the approved reclamation requirements, as detailed in the Plan of Operations.
Dateline's Position
Dateline continues to participate in the proceedings as an intervenor alongside the United States Government and will continue to vigorously defend its interests. Dateline's opposition to the NPCA motions is consistent with the U.S. Government submission.
Dateline will keep the market informed of any material developments. Copies of filings in this case are available via links on the following website:
This press release has been authorized for release by the Board of Dateline Resources Limited.
For more information, please contact:
Stephen Baghdadi
Managing Director
+61 2 9375 2353
Andrew Rowell
Corporate & Investor Relations Manager
+61 400 466 226
a.rowell@dtraux.com
www.datelineresources.com.au
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About Dateline Resources Limited
Dateline Resources Limited (ASX:DTR,OTC:DTREF)(OTCQB:DTREF)(FSE:YE1) is an Australian company focused on mining and exploration in North America. The Company owns 100% of the Colosseum Gold-REE Project in California.
The Colosseum Gold Mine is located in the Walker Lane Trend in East San Bernardino County, California and is located 10km north of Mountain Pass rare earth mine. Drill testing the REE potential at Colosseum has commenced.
On 11 May 2026, Dateline announced that the BFS economics for the Colosseum Gold Project generated a pre-tax NPV5 of US$785 million and a pre-tax IRR of 49.5% using a gold price of US$4,200/oz.
Dateline has also acquired the high-grade Argos Strontium Project, also located in San Bernadino County, California. Argos is reportedly the largest strontium deposit in the U.S. with previous celestite production grading 95%+ SrSO4.
In March 2026, Dateline consolidated the Music Valley Heavy Rare Earth Project in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties, California. The region has known HREE mineralisation from USGS rock chip sampling, however it has not been subjected to modern exploration techniques.
Forward-Looking Statements
This announcement may contain "forward-looking statements" concerning Dateline Resources that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Generally, the words "will", "may", "should", "continue", "believes", "expects", "intends", "anticipates" or similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements. Many of these risks and uncertainties relate to factors that are beyond Dateline Resources' ability to control or estimate precisely, such as future market conditions, changes in regulatory environment and the behavior of other market participants. Dateline Resources cannot give any assurance that such forward-looking statements will prove to have been correct. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Dateline Resources assumes no obligation and does not undertake any obligation to update or revise publicly any of the forward-looking statements set out herein, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent legally required.
SOURCE: Dateline Resources Limited
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