News
Opinion
The Idaho-Maryland project overview was recently distributed as a flyer in The Union newspaper. The purpose of the flyer was to provide information about the project as part of our community outreach.
We have had positive feedback from many members of the community in the form of e-mails, phone calls, and verbal comments. The document can be viewed at www.idaho-maryland.com.
The Cannon Mine, which operated in Washington state, is an excellent example of mining in an urban setting. In fact, many mines operate successfully in urban settings around the world. In many cases, towns grew up around the mines and the mines supported their economic and social development.
The Cannon Mine, located in Wenatchee, operated from 1985 to 1994. It won the Environmental Excellence Award from the Northwest Mining Association in 1999 and the Recognition for Reclamation Award from the Washington Department of Natural Resources in 2003.
In December, 2000, the Northwest Mining Association stated, "During its 10-year operating life, the Cannon gold mine employed more than 250 full-time employees and produced 1.4 million ounces of gold and 3 million ounces of silver. Mine closure was completed in a record five years and the reclamation bond has been released.
"As part of Cannon's closure, Asamera 1) developed a fully cash-funded closure program, 2) created five wetlands and restored 1.5 miles of riparian stream habitat, 3) converted the mine's tailings impoundment into Wenatchee Valley's largest flood-control system, and 4) constructed a permanent, backup, passive, wetland metals-treatment system. These efforts were rewarded with reasonable permit termination and bond-release."
You can view information on the Cannon Mine for yourself at www.geocities.com/cannon_mine. By reading this, you can determine whether this was an environmentally and socially responsible operation for yourself.
You will find that the Cannon Mine is viewed by both the mining industry and environmental groups as an example of how a mine should be operated and reclaimed, and how a mining company works with the community.
As with most tailings impoundments that are reclaimed, the majority of work is typically done immediately at closure of a mine. However, reclamation activities and monitoring continue over a number of years.
A good Web site to reference is: http://www.unr.edu/mines/mlc/conf_workshops/tailings/Elko_8.pdf. It shows before and after pictures of the tailings reclamation activities at Cannon Mine and shows the successful completion of the reclamation to a point at which the land could be redeveloped for an alternative use.
Seven-hundred acres of mine property was sold by the mine owner to Dry Gulch Preserve LLC, which represents the interests of a recreational horse-riders group called Appleatchee Riders. The mine property was purchased by this group to be set up as a private land trust and to be opened up for public hiking and riding trails. The deal calls for preservation of the land in its current status and does not allow residential use.
Katherine Manning, manager of Dry Gulch Preserve LLC, is quoted as saying, "Because of the mine history, there is still potential for lawsuits over hazardous waste exposure. Adding homes would only increase that liability." Her reference is in relation to controlling use of the land, preventing erosion by future users, and ensuring the land use by the public is safe and appropriate.
The sale of the land to Dry Gulch Preserve LLC shows how tailings impoundments can be reclaimed for beneficial use by society with today's technology and reclamation practices.
People should take the time to actually read "Predicting Water Quality at Hardrock Mines" and "Comparison of Predicted and Actual Water Quality at Hardrock Mines." These are good references, and the reports analyzed water discharge quality from operating mines and compared it to water quality predicted in their Environmental Impact Studies.
The majority of mines analyzed were open-pit operations and many were surface heap leach operations. The reports make conclusions and recommendations to improve predictions and protect water quality from mining activities, and these recommendations have been reviewed and applied to the Idaho-Maryland Project.
The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) came into existence in 1970. The California Surface Mining and Reclamation Act (SMARA) came into existence in 1975. Many other environmental laws were passed in the 1970s and form the basis for environmental protection today.
Environmental laws have further evolved in the last 30 years, just as the knowledge of environmental controls, acid mine drainage, metal leaching, water treatment technology, etc. has improved. Mining can be done in an environmentally and socially responsible manner.
California is one of the largest mining producers and consumers of all U.S. states. California's population continues to grow, and the need for many land uses to coexist, including mining and industrial land uses, will only increase. The Dry Gulch Preserve LLC shows how special interest groups and mining companies can work together to benefit the community.
David Watkinson is president and COO off Emgold Mining Corp., president of Idaho-Maryland Mining Corp. and vice president of the Golden Bear Ceramics Co.
We have had positive feedback from many members of the community in the form of e-mails, phone calls, and verbal comments. The document can be viewed at www.idaho-maryland.com.
The Cannon Mine, which operated in Washington state, is an excellent example of mining in an urban setting. In fact, many mines operate successfully in urban settings around the world. In many cases, towns grew up around the mines and the mines supported their economic and social development.
The Cannon Mine, located in Wenatchee, operated from 1985 to 1994. It won the Environmental Excellence Award from the Northwest Mining Association in 1999 and the Recognition for Reclamation Award from the Washington Department of Natural Resources in 2003.
In December, 2000, the Northwest Mining Association stated, "During its 10-year operating life, the Cannon gold mine employed more than 250 full-time employees and produced 1.4 million ounces of gold and 3 million ounces of silver. Mine closure was completed in a record five years and the reclamation bond has been released.
"As part of Cannon's closure, Asamera 1) developed a fully cash-funded closure program, 2) created five wetlands and restored 1.5 miles of riparian stream habitat, 3) converted the mine's tailings impoundment into Wenatchee Valley's largest flood-control system, and 4) constructed a permanent, backup, passive, wetland metals-treatment system. These efforts were rewarded with reasonable permit termination and bond-release."
You can view information on the Cannon Mine for yourself at www.geocities.com/cannon_mine. By reading this, you can determine whether this was an environmentally and socially responsible operation for yourself.
You will find that the Cannon Mine is viewed by both the mining industry and environmental groups as an example of how a mine should be operated and reclaimed, and how a mining company works with the community.
As with most tailings impoundments that are reclaimed, the majority of work is typically done immediately at closure of a mine. However, reclamation activities and monitoring continue over a number of years.
A good Web site to reference is: http://www.unr.edu/mines/mlc/conf_workshops/tailings/Elko_8.pdf. It shows before and after pictures of the tailings reclamation activities at Cannon Mine and shows the successful completion of the reclamation to a point at which the land could be redeveloped for an alternative use.
Seven-hundred acres of mine property was sold by the mine owner to Dry Gulch Preserve LLC, which represents the interests of a recreational horse-riders group called Appleatchee Riders. The mine property was purchased by this group to be set up as a private land trust and to be opened up for public hiking and riding trails. The deal calls for preservation of the land in its current status and does not allow residential use.
Katherine Manning, manager of Dry Gulch Preserve LLC, is quoted as saying, "Because of the mine history, there is still potential for lawsuits over hazardous waste exposure. Adding homes would only increase that liability." Her reference is in relation to controlling use of the land, preventing erosion by future users, and ensuring the land use by the public is safe and appropriate.
The sale of the land to Dry Gulch Preserve LLC shows how tailings impoundments can be reclaimed for beneficial use by society with today's technology and reclamation practices.
People should take the time to actually read "Predicting Water Quality at Hardrock Mines" and "Comparison of Predicted and Actual Water Quality at Hardrock Mines." These are good references, and the reports analyzed water discharge quality from operating mines and compared it to water quality predicted in their Environmental Impact Studies.
The majority of mines analyzed were open-pit operations and many were surface heap leach operations. The reports make conclusions and recommendations to improve predictions and protect water quality from mining activities, and these recommendations have been reviewed and applied to the Idaho-Maryland Project.
The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) came into existence in 1970. The California Surface Mining and Reclamation Act (SMARA) came into existence in 1975. Many other environmental laws were passed in the 1970s and form the basis for environmental protection today.
Environmental laws have further evolved in the last 30 years, just as the knowledge of environmental controls, acid mine drainage, metal leaching, water treatment technology, etc. has improved. Mining can be done in an environmentally and socially responsible manner.
California is one of the largest mining producers and consumers of all U.S. states. California's population continues to grow, and the need for many land uses to coexist, including mining and industrial land uses, will only increase. The Dry Gulch Preserve LLC shows how special interest groups and mining companies can work together to benefit the community.
David Watkinson is president and COO off Emgold Mining Corp., president of Idaho-Maryland Mining Corp. and vice president of the Golden Bear Ceramics Co.
