Public Comment on Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Stibnite gold Project Remains Open

Last week, Midas Gold Idaho shared an educational presentation on their proposed Stibnite Gold Mine Project with Idaho Business for the Outdoors’ Board of Directors. We appreciate the efforts Midas Gold Idaho has made to engage and inform the public and our communities about this project.

For those who aren’t familiar with the Stibnite Gold Project, it is a proposed redevelopment and restoration of the former Stibnite gold, silver, antimony and tungsten mine, which is located in Valley County near Donelly, Idaho.

Midas Gold Idaho states on their website that the Stibnite Gold Project would produce the only domestically mined source of the critical mineral antimony in the United States, invest approximately $1 billion in construction, provide approximately 500 direct, family wage jobs for Idahoans as well as numerous indirect jobs in the supply, services and contracting sectors, address numerous legacy mining issues affecting the environment and reconnect migrating salmon to their native spawning grounds for the first time in more than 80 years. The estimated mineral resource is four to five million ounces of gold and 100 to 200 million pounds of antimony.

Given the historical legacy of environmental disasters, contamination and controversy that follow so many mining operations around the nation, Laurel Sayer, CEO of Midas Gold Idaho, understands people’s skepticism around mining companies. “It is no secret that mining companies of the past left behind questionable legacies. We understand this has made people skeptical of the mining industry. At Midas Gold, we’re excited to earn the community’s trust by doing things differently than our predecessors and following through on our promises. It is also important for people to know regulations have changed dramatically since mining last occurred at the site. Today, we must put aside money (industry calls this financial assurance) for reclamation and restoration before mining ever begins to ensure the site gets the attention it needs no matter what happens. When we add our restoration-forward mining plan to a robust financial assurance calculation that requires us to put aside all required funding to restore and reclaim the site, before mining begins, it is a clear opportunity for improving Stibnite.”

On August 14th the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) released their Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) on the Stibnite Gold project for public comment. Individuals have until October 13 to review and offer public comment on this proposal. Before the Stibnite Gold Project can move forward, the federal government must review Midas Gold’s plan under the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Overall, Midas Gold must receive more than 50 permits from federal, state and local agencies and set aside millions of dollars to guarantee reclamation. Midas Gold says their Plan of Restoration and Operations for the Stibnite Gold Project will be subject to permit constraints that ensure protection of the environment and financial assurance that is sufficient to cover third party costs for closure and site reclamation.

We encourage individuals and our business members to take this opportunity to learn more about this mining project and to submit public comments to the Forest Service through October 13th. You can read the Draft Environmental Impact Study here. If you are interested in learning more, reading public comments or leaving your own public comment please click here.