A plan to reopen the Idaho-Maryland Mine doesn't guarantee that nearby residents using well water won't lose some of their water supply, but mine officials said the likelihood of that occurring is highly remote.

The issue was discussed at a community meeting to discuss residents' concerns about the Idaho-Maryland Mine, which mining officials want to reopen in 2010 or 2011. It operated from 1862 to 1956.

The steep rise in the price of gold - to roughly $800 an ounce - is causing a resurgence in gold mining worldwide, but plans to reopen the Grass Valley mine have been in the works since long before the recent price spike.

Like oil drilling, mining projects require years of lead time and lengthy regulatory approval processes.

"You can't assure us what's going to happen?" said Grass Valley resident Pat Wynne, referring to the concern of losing well water if the mine reopens.

"That's correct," said Jeff Harvey, a project manager with Environmental Science Associates, at Wednesday night's meeting.

The consulting firm for the Idaho-Maryland Mine is expected to complete its draft environmental review by late spring.

Before Wednesday's question and answer session, the firm's experts told a packed meeting hall at the LOVE building in Condon Park that they don't have all the answers yet.

The consultants had determined that in all likelihood any well water failure resulting from a dewatering of the existing mine tunnels would be subtle and occur over time.

"You're not going to get a sudden failure," Harvey said. "If there is a failure, the wells closer to the mine would be affected."

Most nearby wells that the Idaho-Maryland Mining Corp. has monitored don't go as deep as most of the mining tunnels, said David Watkinson, president of the mine.

Most wells are above 300 feet and most mining tunnels are below 1,000 feet, Watkinson said.

"The chances of interconnection are low," Watkinson said. "You could drill a million holes and you couldn't figure out where all the underground cracks (which could leak water) connect."

Resident Joy Waite wanted to know what Emgold, owners of the proposed mine, would do for residents who lose well water.

"Will Emgold be responsible for the loss of the water?" Waite asked. "How long will Emgold be required to provide water?"

"That's what we need to address in our mitigation program," Harvey said.

Wolf Creek also is connected to some rock and surface fractures, the consultants said.

Any water lost from the creek would be minimal, Watkinson said, referring to it as "seepage." A crack could be filled with a grout-like substance, he said.

The mine would be reopened with 100 percent of the mine waste used to make ceramic tiles.

The mine would reopen by 2011, one or two years after the 72 miles of underground mine tunnels are dewatered, company officials said.

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To contact Staff Writer Greg Moberly, e-mail gregm@the union.com or call 477-4234.