Peter Nielsen wrote: Senate Bill 306 would create a loophole in the voter passed initiative banning cyanide leach open pit mines in Montana. The Bill is sponsored by Terry Murphy of Cardwell, whose wants to allow the Golden Sunlight Mine near Whitehall to receive ore for cyanide leach processing from open pit mines throughout Montana. Golden Sunlight can currently receive ore from other underground mines, and it also can receive and re-process mine tailings from abandoned mines that are being cleaned up. But it can not receive ore from open pit mines from other parts of Montana, due to the prohibition in the law from the voter passed initiative.
SB would allow other mines in Montana that previously used cyanide leach processing to resume leaching of ore from other mines - these include mines such as Beal near Anaconda, Montana tunnels, or the Kendall Mine which has caused extensive water pollution problems from processing and leach pads, affecting downstream ranchers.
Missoula County is not home to any mines with cyanide leach facilities. But, this bill would cause increased mining impacts in Missoula County and other counties that do not have cyanide leach mines. This would occur because opening this loophole in the voter passed initiative would allow, even promote new open pit mines in areas which have low grade ore that can be profitably processed by cyanide leaching. Open pit mines that contain this kind of low grade ore would become profitable in areas such as the Garnet Range, in the Blackfoot and Ninemile Creek watersheds. With gold prices exceeding $1,300 an ounce, it will be profitable to mine these areas and ship the ore to Golden sunlight for cynanide leaching.
This will cause significant impacts to water and land resources in Missoula County. Open pit mines, up to five acres in size and that do not have a tailings impoundment are not subject to DEQ regulation for reclamation bonds. But these unregulated mines will generate polluted runoff, as the low grade ore bodies are typically associated with sulfide minerals that cause acid mine drainage and pollute water with heavy metals and arsenic. The mines will generate large quantities of waste rock, which is often acidic and contaminated with heavy metals and arsenic. The mines would generate heavy truck traffic on County roads, and associated impacts on traffic and infrastructure. But the mine operations would generate little economic activity or property tax revenue in the counties where the open pit mining occurs. Water pollution from these open pit mines would affect surface water and groundwater resources with heavy metals and arsenic, impacting human health and aquatic life.
At $1,300 an ounce this bill would create a gold rush for miners who would prefer to dig cheap open pits than underground mines, and to process low grade ore with cyanide that pollutes water resources.
Montana voters have twice passed initiatives to prohibit cyanide leach mining. This bill would authorize the development of new open pit mines, which are still open pit cyanide mines even if the processing occurs at facilities geographically separated from the open pit. This runs in direct contradiction to voter passed initiatives, and this bill should be killed. I recommend that we oppose this bill, which is scheduled for hearing in Senate Natural Resources at 3 p.m. today.
Missoula County opposes Senate Bill 306 - Revise mining laws regarding cyanide health and vat leach open-pit mining, before the Senate Natural Resources Committee this afternoon. SB 306 would promote open pit mines that would damage land and water resources in our County. Missoula County will not benefit economically or environmentally from the proliferation of open pit mining in the Blackfoot River, Clark Fork, Rock Creek or Ninemile Creek watersheds. Open pit mines up to five acres in size are not required to post reclamation bonds, but cause water pollution from acid mine drainage including contamination with heavy metals and arsenic. Many areas of Missoula County contain low grade ore deposits that would be mined if this bill passes, and the ore would be shipped to cyanide leach mines such as Golden Sunlight, Kendall or Montana Tunnels. This bill is in direct conflict with two voter passed initiatives banning open pit cyanide leach mining in Montana. These initiatives were strongly supported by the voters of Missoula County. Please oppose SB 306. Respectfully, Dale Bickell on behalf of the Board of County Commissioners
Missoula County opposes Senate Bill 306 - Revise mining laws regarding cyanide health and vat leach open-pit mining, before the House on 2nd reading this afternoon. SB 306 would promote open pit mines that would damage land and water resources in our County. Missoula County will not benefit economically or environmentally from the proliferation of open pit mining in the Blackfoot River, Clark Fork, Rock Creek or Ninemile Creek watersheds. Open pit mines up to five acres in size are not required to post reclamation bonds, but cause water pollution from acid mine drainage including contamination with heavy metals and arsenic. Many areas of Missoula County contain low grade ore deposits that would be mined if this bill passes, and the ore would be shipped to cyanide leach mines such as Golden Sunlight, Kendall or Montana Tunnels. This bill is in direct conflict with two voter passed initiatives banning open pit cyanide leach mining in Montana. These initiatives were strongly supported by the voters of Missoula County. Please oppose SB 306. Respectfully, Dale Bickell on behalf of the Board of County Commissioners
Peter Nielsen wrote:
ReplyDeleteSenate Bill 306 would create a loophole in the voter passed initiative banning cyanide leach open pit mines in Montana. The Bill is sponsored by Terry Murphy of Cardwell, whose wants to allow the Golden Sunlight Mine near Whitehall to receive ore for cyanide leach processing from open pit mines throughout Montana. Golden Sunlight can currently receive ore from other underground mines, and it also can receive and re-process mine tailings from abandoned mines that are being cleaned up. But it can not receive ore from open pit mines from other parts of Montana, due to the prohibition in the law from the voter passed initiative.
SB would allow other mines in Montana that previously used cyanide leach processing to resume leaching of ore from other mines - these include mines such as Beal near Anaconda, Montana tunnels, or the Kendall Mine which has caused extensive water pollution problems from processing and leach pads, affecting downstream ranchers.
Missoula County is not home to any mines with cyanide leach facilities. But, this bill would cause increased mining impacts in Missoula County and other counties that do not have cyanide leach mines. This would occur because opening this loophole in the voter passed initiative would allow, even promote new open pit mines in areas which have low grade ore that can be profitably processed by cyanide leaching. Open pit mines that contain this kind of low grade ore would become profitable in areas such as the Garnet Range, in the Blackfoot and Ninemile Creek watersheds. With gold prices exceeding $1,300 an ounce, it will be profitable to mine these areas and ship the ore to Golden sunlight for cynanide leaching.
This will cause significant impacts to water and land resources in Missoula County. Open pit mines, up to five acres in size and that do not have a tailings impoundment are not subject to DEQ regulation for reclamation bonds. But these unregulated mines will generate polluted runoff, as the low grade ore bodies are typically associated with sulfide minerals that cause acid mine drainage and pollute water with heavy metals and arsenic. The mines will generate large quantities of waste rock, which is often acidic and contaminated with heavy metals and arsenic. The mines would generate heavy truck traffic on County roads, and associated impacts on traffic and infrastructure. But the mine operations would generate little economic activity or property tax revenue in the counties where the open pit mining occurs. Water pollution from these open pit mines would affect surface water and groundwater resources with heavy metals and arsenic, impacting human health and aquatic life.
At $1,300 an ounce this bill would create a gold rush for miners who would prefer to dig cheap open pits than underground mines, and to process low grade ore with cyanide that pollutes water resources.
Montana voters have twice passed initiatives to prohibit cyanide leach mining. This bill would authorize the development of new open pit mines, which are still open pit cyanide mines even if the processing occurs at facilities geographically separated from the open pit. This runs in direct contradiction to voter passed initiatives, and this bill should be killed.
I recommend that we oppose this bill, which is scheduled for hearing in Senate Natural Resources at 3 p.m. today.
Message sent to the Missoula Reps:
ReplyDeleteMissoula County opposes Senate Bill 306 - Revise mining laws regarding cyanide health and vat leach open-pit mining, before the Senate Natural Resources Committee this afternoon. SB 306 would promote open pit mines that would damage land and water resources in our County. Missoula County will not benefit economically or environmentally from the proliferation of open pit mining in the Blackfoot River, Clark Fork, Rock Creek or Ninemile Creek watersheds. Open pit mines up to five acres in size are not required to post reclamation bonds, but cause water pollution from acid mine drainage including contamination with heavy metals and arsenic. Many areas of Missoula County contain low grade ore deposits that would be mined if this bill passes, and the ore would be shipped to cyanide leach mines such as Golden Sunlight, Kendall or Montana Tunnels. This bill is in direct conflict with two voter passed initiatives banning open pit cyanide leach mining in Montana. These initiatives were strongly supported by the voters of Missoula County. Please oppose SB 306.
Respectfully,
Dale Bickell on behalf of the Board of County Commissioners
Sent the following to Missoula Reps:
ReplyDeleteMissoula County opposes Senate Bill 306 - Revise mining laws regarding cyanide health and vat leach open-pit mining, before the House on 2nd reading this afternoon. SB 306 would promote open pit mines that would damage land and water resources in our County. Missoula County will not benefit economically or environmentally from the proliferation of open pit mining in the Blackfoot River, Clark Fork, Rock Creek or Ninemile Creek watersheds. Open pit mines up to five acres in size are not required to post reclamation bonds, but cause water pollution from acid mine drainage including contamination with heavy metals and arsenic. Many areas of Missoula County contain low grade ore deposits that would be mined if this bill passes, and the ore would be shipped to cyanide leach mines such as Golden Sunlight, Kendall or Montana Tunnels. This bill is in direct conflict with two voter passed initiatives banning open pit cyanide leach mining in Montana. These initiatives were strongly supported by the voters of Missoula County. Please oppose SB 306.
Respectfully,
Dale Bickell on behalf of the Board of County Commissioners