In the West, mining’s return faces resistance

In the West, mining’s return faces resistance. The region’s newcomers, who came for high-tech jobs and scenery, worry about ecological costs. By Ben Arnoldy. Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor.
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While there is an economic need for more copper, nickel, tin, etc, there is no need for more gold. Gold is unique because its price is more relevant as a store of wealth (gold investments as an alternative to stocks, bonds, etc.) than as an industrial material. More mining, means more gold, and this is not necessarily a benefit.

However, gold mining is the most destructive of new mines cropping up all over the West and the world. In opposing a new gold mine, you do not have to fight economic arguments about “the need” for a metal.

It’s time to end mining industry welfare

Four articles today on the 1872 General Mining Law.

“The law, signed by President Grant, allows patents for hardrock minerals on public lands to be mined for $2.50 or $5 an acre.” It’s time to end mining industry welfare. By Joel Connelly. Seattle Post-Intelligencer Columnist.

“Uranium mines don’t belong next door to one of the seven wonders of the natural world. Yet a British mining company plans to drill exploratory holes on federal land within three miles of the Grand Canyon.” We know the Drill. Arizona Republic.

Coalition calls for new mining laws. By John Cramer of the Missoulian.

Company wants to reopen Elk City gold mining claim. Idaho Statesman. Elk City is deep in north central Idaho’s backcountry. Mining from the early years still poisons the streams.

Purchase of outstanding mining claims to put to rest gold mining threat next to Yellowstone Park.

While the New World Mine proposal (once a very serious proposal) above Cooke City was pretty much defeated in 1996-7, there are a group of outstanding patented mining claims that could potentially cause trouble.

These will be purchased by the Trust for Public Land, ending forever the development threat they pose.

Group makes plans to buy up old mining claims. By The Associated Press

Six Nevada gold mines are worse mercury polluters than Jerritt Canyon?

Although articles about the now-shuttered Jerritt Canyon mine have said it was the worst mercury polluter in the United States, a more recent article says that 6 other Nevada gold mines pump out more mercury into the air, with Barrick Goldstrick mine (a huge series of pits) alone putting out 30 times as much as Jerritt Canyon.

Ninth Largest Source of Toxic Mercury Shuttered. What About Polluters 1 Through 8? By Dan Shapley. The Daily Green.

Photo1. Part of the Barrick Goldstrike mine north of Carlin, Nevada.

Photo2. More of the Barrick Goldstrike mine.

A lot of these Nevada mines let ranchers graze the nearby rangeland for free (after all they are going to become pits and they want to have good relations). Do you think these mercury cows are being tested before they enter the beef food supply?

Web page on mercury poisoning. Residents of Idaho, Utah and Nevada should read this, especially if they have children.

Nevada closes Jerritt Canyon Mine for mercury releases

Here’s a real story. It’s about the poisoning of Idaho. Nevada and this mining company should be paying we Idahoans reparations.

Nevada closes mine for mercury releases. Idaho officials say Jerritt Canyon has tainted Gem State waters and fish. The mine will have to fix its pollution control equipment. By Rocky Barker. Idaho Statesman.

This gold mine was the worst single source of mercury pollution in the United States, but it is just one of scores of gold pits releasing mercury across Nevada.

. . . and the legacy of mining from the past.

W.R. Grace agrees to $250-million dollar cleanup for past asbestos mining near Libby, Montana. New York Times.

Note that this notorious health hazard has been the subject of hundreds of of articles since 2000. Many people in the area have died from the asbestos contamination in town and from working the now closed mine.

Montana leaders to get update on Canadian energy plans just north of the border

“Congress is coming to Kalispell [Montana] this week for a town hall meeting to discuss the proposed industrialization of Canadian wilds bordering Glacier National Park’s northern edge.”

US Senators Baucus and Tester are holding a meeting to discuss British Columbia’s plans to tear the hell out of upper Flathead river which drains directly into Montana.

Story in the Missoulian.

Guest column in Headwaters News. Montana has a lot at stake in B.C. mining proposal. By Dave Hadden, President
Flathead Coalition

When you have a President like George W. Bush, you don’t have much moral status to complain about another country wrecking its environment, but the negative impacts of this will be almost entirely felt in Montana, Idaho, and Washington State as the poisons pollute the pristine Flathead River and ruin Glacier National Park. It’s an international incident, and British Columbia’s government needs to get the message.
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Not many Americans have seen this country. A road leads south from Elko, B.C. past huge ugly coal pits and then into the relatively undisturbed (except for some logging) headwaters of the North Fork of the Flathead River. The road then crosses into Montana. I drove the road about 15 years ago. I planned to go back last summer to photograph what they are up to, but I found this border crossing had been permanently closed a long time ago, not long after I crossed through (maybe just a year or two). So now there is no direct route into the currently wildlife rich and scenic country in BC,* and even on Google Earth the resolution of the area is very low. Update I notice that in the last month Google Earth has finally put in higher resolution photos.

They are trying to sneak this through.

North Fork of the Flathead River, British Columbia. Photo taken back in 1992 by Ralph Maughan

*I do notice that recent Google Maps shows a growing web of minor road, cuts, and exploration pits.

Forest Service OKs Harden Creek uranium exploration near Stanley, Idaho

This mine would be in a scenic and steep tributary to the Salmon River, certainly a threat to water quality.

Forest Service OKs Harden Creek uranium exploration. By Todd Adams. Challis Messenger.

Approximate location of exploration.