Great links, very informative, thanks! 

From the last link, one can get to an interview of Myron Smart, a Paiute elder:

https://youtu.be/-6uwqALqmDE?t=482

There's a lot of handwaving when it comes to where exactly the important sites in the area are located, just like in all the other articles about this. But Myron reveals a bit. From his interview: 1) The "Double H" ridge he refers to, where the obsidian quary is, is located across 293 from the mine and to the southwest of the proposed LAC southern exploration area. 2) The wildlife appears to stay down on the other side of the pass (the Kings River side), also away from the mine. 3) The site of the "massacre" (which isn't clear whether it's oral history or embellished folklore, or a bit of both) is on the ridge north of the mine site. 4) As for the medicines, "if you climb up the ridge behind the camp, I'm sure that's maybe you could find some of those" is not all that convincing, and also not located on the site of the mine.

Certainly, a mine can interfere with access and enjoyment of each of these interests in the area, and this all needs to be taken seriously, especially since the tribes were screwed by the former mercury mine next to their reservation. And also, this was all Pai-Sho territory before they got a small reservation 23 miles as the crow flies from the mine, so we need to be respectful of that. But...so far, none of this sounds all that convincing. 

At the beginning he mentions that some gold mine was paying for his power until they stopped this year...? It appears he's pissed about that and the fact that the tribal council decides things without asking him and the other elders. Maybe LAC could just pay for everyone's power on the reservation to get them all back onboard? Even though he says he's not interested in money at the end, but...yeah, well.

I also think that TP having been coincidentally approved during the Trump administration might have tainted the environmental and social reputation of the mine. All the other side has to say is "Trump" and it immediately conjures up the idea of "sloppy work meant to intentionally harm."