Possible $500 billion gold mine found, epa says ya can't have it.

[powderman]

$500B Alaskan gold mine in upstream battle with EPA, salmon advocates  By Joshua Rhett Miller
Published July 24, 2012
FoxNews.com     

•    The Pebble Partnership believes a mine near Bristol Bay, Alaska, could produce up to 107.4 million ounces of gold. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, however, has said in a draft assessment that the project could have "adverse impacts on the productivity and sustainability" of the salmon fishery in the watershed. (AP)
•    Using exploration drill rigs, The Pebble Partnership is currently analyzing what may be the largest undeveloped copper deposit in North America, located in southwest Alaska. (Courtesy: Pebble Partnership)
•    Over decades, The Pebble Partnership believes the deposit has the potential of producing 80.6 billion pounds of copper, 107.4 million ounces of gold and 5.6 billion pounds of molybdenum. (Northern Dynasty Minerals, Ltd.)
•    July 13, 2011: T.J. Gall untangles a red salmon from his dipnet at the Kenai River’s mouth in Kenai, Alaska. (AP)

  Next Slide Previous Slide   An Alaskan mine that may contain more than $500 billion in gold, copper and other minerals will never get dug if environmentalists get their way.
The proposed Pebble Mine, near the headwaters of Bristol Bay in southwest Alaska, could yield a staggering 107 million ounces of gold, 80 billion pounds of copper and 5.6 billion pounds of molybdenum, which is used to make steel alloys. Pebble Partnership, which wants to do the digging, is so confident of the bounty beneath the ground it has spent five years and $107 million monitoring the soil, water and air in order to assure the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) it can mine without causing ecological damage.
"The quantity, grade and continuity of mineralization at Pebble ... demonstrate the project's potential to be one of the great metal producers of the 21st century," said Rod Thiessen, president and CEO of Northern Dynasty Minerals, which is working on the project with London-based Anglo American.

 

"The quantity, grade and continuity of mineralization at Pebble ... demonstrate the project's potential to be one of the great metal producers of the 21st century."

- Rod Thiessen, president/CEO of Northern Dynasty Minerals
But the lucrative mine is swimming upstream against a powerful environmental lobby that believes it would endanger the sockeye salmon habitat, wipe out entire streams, pollute other waterways and carve a maze of roads stretching hundreds of square miles. A draft watershed assessment by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released in May found that a possible failure of a dam holding waste from the project could spill into the fish habitat and poison salmon for decades to come.
A public comment period on that assessment ended Monday and a peer review panel will examine the scientific and technical merit of the EPA assessment in Anchorage on Aug. 7-9. But some conservationists and commercial fishers told FoxNews.com they believe the EPA’s assessment is a significant blow to the proposed mine.
“If you read the watershed assessment, the conclusion that the EPA came to is that even without a catastrophic dam failure, there would be cumulative effects over time that would have an adverse effect on fish and other animals in the region,” said Lindsey Bloom, an organizer with Trout Unlimited and operator of a commercial fishing boat. “For us, if you look at the Exxon Valdez oil spill or the Deepwater Horizon spill in the Gulf, consumers just balk at the idea of potential pollution in their seafood.”
Bristol Bay — home to the largest sockeye salmon fishery in the world — contains all five species of North American Pacific salmon and provides at least 14,000 full- and part-time jobs annually, valued at roughly $480 million, according to the EPA. It also accounts for 46 percent of wild sockeye salmon worldwide and provides habitat to more than 190 bird species as well.
Bloom said Alaskans have long been “overwhelmingly” against the project over fears that a large-scale mine will fundamentally and irrevocably alter the region’s pristine landscape. Some natives also see the mine as one mega-industry stomping on local fisheries.
“I’m in favor of protecting existing jobs,” she said. “I see the mine as a potential job killer. It’s really big business versus big business. The fishing industry is the No. 1 job supplier in the state of Alaska. To me, that’s one business being threatened by another, and it’s not a 'save the baby whales' situation.”
Pebble Partnership CEO John Shivley calls the EPA document “rushed” and inadequate. Spokesman Mike Heatwole said the group is preparing to answer the “clearly flawed” report and questioned why the federal agency ignored calls for an extension of the public comment period. Pebble hasn't even formally applied for a permit, Heatwole said, and doesn't understand why the EPA jumped to block a mine he says will benefit the ailing state economy.
“Why the rush by the EPA?” Heatwole told FoxNews.com. “Why not listen to the state of Alaska?”
The mine has backing from some state officials. In June, state Attorney General Michael Geraghty wrote the EPA to complain of what he called an “unnecessary rush to judgment.” He sought to have the deadline for public comment extended to Nov. 20. Geraghty believes that if the EPA invokes the federal Clean Water Act in addressing the mining proposal, it could potentially “extinguish” the state’s mineral rights.
EPA officials, meanwhile, said that the agency has made no judgments about the use of its regulatory authority under the Clean Water Act and the draft study in no way prejudges future consideration of proposed mining activities. Officials told FoxNews.com the agency has worked with the fishing industry and other "important stakeholders" to make sure all voices are heard. But they said the project has to get an up or down vote at some point.
“In order to ensure that the final assessment is released in a timely fashion, it is imperative that this process move forward on schedule,” the agency said in a statement.
Meanwhile, in September, Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., became the first senator to call on the EPA to use its Clean Water Act authority to block any large development project if science determined it have "unacceptable adverse impacts" on water quality and the fish that depend on it.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, believes the EPA's draft assessment may have been the first in that process and has questioned why the EPA did not allow a longer public comment period.
“This is the first time the EPA has conducted a preemptive assessment of an entire watershed without even having a specific project description to evaluate," Murkowski said in a statement to FoxNews.com. "Given the potential impact on the state’s economy, I’m disappointed the EPA did not allow Alaskans, many of whom are busy 24-hours a day during our short summers with commercial and subsistence fishing, more than 60 days to comment.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/07/24/proposed-pebble-mine-project-pits-big-coal-versus-sockeye-salmon/#ixzz21ZQ59Rca

[Cabin4]

obama is just waiting for the right offer before they give up that gold. When someone can offer him a few million to his campaign fund, it will go.

[Swampman]

If it's private land that's one thing.  If it's public land I too oppose this mine.  An atomic bomb does less damage than a mine.

[Scibaer]

my brother drives a very large dump truck in a open pit mine. one of the largest iron ore mines in the US.
 the company works very closely with the EPA, the local road crew, rail system and DNR. the company spends millions each year to maintain the enviroment, plant trees, securing ground water and other things to prevent ruin or damage to the grounds around and in the mining area.  in my experience, the mine company does alot of good, provides jobs and materials so we can stay away from buying more iron from over seas, and taking care of the natural enviroment.  i say, lets get on that alaskan mine ASAP.

[Sourdough]

I have been writing about this mine for over two years now, and the fight that initally was just one guy.  A rich millionare from California that has a fishing lodge near the site.  The he got Trout Unlimited into the fight.  They called in the EPA and got them hot about this mine.  The permits have noty even been applied yet.  They are starting the permiting process this year, but have not yet determined if this will be an open pit, or an underground mine.
 
It is on state land that was selected and set aside for mining at the time of statehood.  the EPA has already made rumblings that they are going to shut it down before they know what is going to take place.
 
This mine will not only employ Alaskans, but all the huge heavy equipment will have to be built at factories in the lower 48.  Then transported in pieces so large one part usually takes two or more trucks to haul it to Portland or Seattle for transport to Alaska.  A rail system has to be built from tide water to the mine location.  A small city will have 5to be built to house, feed, and care for all the workers.  This is in a remote location so all workers will have to have medical facilities, dining facilities, living facilities, recreational facilities, work shops, Water wells and water treatment, sewage treatment facilities, and the list goes on and on.  Not just the two thousand people that it will take to just fun the mine.  But all the support personnel as well.  This will meanb money not only for Alaska, but for all the support from the lower 48.  Billions of dollers into the national economy.  I talked with Josh Romney about this when he was in Alaska stumping for his Dad.  He understands the situation, and he was going to bring it up to Mitt Romney.  Our Congressman Don Young told us four months ago if we lose this fight we will lose Alaska. 
 
This is a very low economic area of the state, and the people need jobs.  The ones screaming the loudest are the commercial fishermen that are all Washington and Oragon residents that own the fishing permits to fish Bristol Bay.  These fishermen could care less about the Alaskans that live in the area, it's cheap labor for them when they come ashore.       

[briarpatch]

Nothing does as much damage as a liberal, bureaucratic, ignorant government headed by a fake, siding with tree huggers.      LET THE DIGGING BEGIN.

[Sourdough]

Forgot to mention, Gold is a secondary mineral to this project.  Copper is the main reason for the mine.  Copper, Gold, Molybednum, are the main things they are going after.  Some of those Rare Earth Minerals that China is rationing to the world have been discovered there as well.  There is also Lead, Zinc, and Iron, in the area.  This is looking to be the highest consentration of minerals in the world.   
 
We have many both Open Pit, and Under Ground mines working all over Alaska with no enviromental problems all ready.  In fact their discharge water is cleaner than their natural intake water.

[Swampman]

One day when there is nothing left, folks will realize you can't eat gold.

[Scibaer]

Well what is the point of having all that needed minerals in the ground if we are all dead from starvation ?
 what good is having a earth if we cant take from it responsibly ?
 mining does not hurt the enviroment, like the doom sayers would have us all believe.
we need jobs, we need those ores we dont need knee jerk government game playing like the lobbyists

[Swampman]

mining does not hurt the enviroment,

Clearly you've never been to West Virginia or any place where there are mines.  There is no way to recreated a part of the earth that no longer exist.

[Cabin4]

All depends on what kind of mine your talking about and how that mine is engineered/designed to be operated.

[Scibaer]

Actually, yes . i have worked and been to 35 states, and 4 foreign countries.
i stand by my assertion that modern mining practices would not be detrimental to the environment of Alaska
it will only help alaskans and a big chunk of the lower 47

[Swampman]

So how can they replace the entire mountain tops that they dumped in the trout streams in the valleys, and the towns that no longer exist?  How about the leaking cyanide pools they leave behind?  How about the sulfuric acid that pours from the mouths of the old abandoned mines?

[Cabin4]

So how can they replace the entire mountain tops that they dumped in the trout streams in the valleys, and the towns that no longer exist?  How about the leaking cyanide pools they leave behind?  How about the sulfuric acid that pours from the mouths of the old abandoned mines?

If you operate a mine and don't do those things then its not a problem, right?

[Rex in OTZ]

 
If only Gold extraction was so easy.
I live in the Borough the RED DOG mine operates in, the revinue to our Borough is most welcome, a certain percentage of regional residents do work at the mine (native corp lands and manditory native/spouse of share holder hireing prefrence) when the mine first opened the greatist majority of readily qualified workforce came from the lower 48 labor pool, for the most part most if not all key operations positions are still commuter lower 48ers.
I wouldent expect to see much of the local population working at that mine sight even if they had a local hireing prefrence.
 
Economics
Under the terms of the Teck Cominco/NANA agreement, NANA received royalties of 4.5% until the capital costs of the mine were recovered, which occurred in late 2007. At this point, the royalty due to NANA increased to 25%, and will increase by an additional 5% every year, to a maximum of 50%. Under the terms of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971 (ANSCA), which created NANA and the other native corporations in Alaska, NANA must share approximately half of its profits from natural resources with the other eleven land-based regional native corporations. If the mine remains profitable at the current level, this will mean a distribution of several hundred million dollars a year of mine profits to the regional native corporations
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Dog_mine
 
http://www.gunandgame.com/forums/alaska/117609-epa-conduct-study-bristol-bay.html
 
http://www.pebbleminealaska.com/
 
http://www.gunandgame.com/forums/alaska/133488-alaska%92s-coastal-management-program.html
 
http://www.gunandgame.com/forums/alaska/107507-alaska-economic-development.html

[Swampman]

That would make this mine different from all the rest.  The destruction cannot be repaired.  The area around the mine actually ceases to exist.  Gold mining is probably the most destructive.  If you would want this happening in your backyard or the areas you hunt then I'd say let them begin.  It's public land.  It belongs to all of us.

[Scibaer]

the open pit mine where my brother works, has a school bus, its been retro fitted to drive in the mine.
they give tours in both pits and on all access roads , to the public at no cost.
it all goes to show how tthey, the mine operations are taking care of what they are doing.
id rather see the mine , do what it does, then the huge trash pile hills all over. rolling hills of fake landscape, trash underneath , venting off gasses and poluting the water table .. give me the mine, give me the jobs, give me the ore and minerals.

[Swampman]

I'd rather see open fields and woods where my grandchildren can camp, hunt, and fish.  We don't need the gold.

[LONGTOM]

I have been to a few of the coal mines in WV and seen with my own eyes what can be done if it is done right.
I had dealing with a private mine owner that had 3 strip mines.
The sections that were used up was as if they had never even been on top of that mountain except for the fact that the top was about 150' lower then it use to be.
One area had a nice lake they put in with mild hills covered in grass and a few trees.
Other areas were replanted with nothing but trees.
Not all mines destroy everything and not all owners are just concerned with the bottom line!
 
I have seen some places that are as you stated swampman, both in WV and mainly in PA.
The ones in and around Wilkesbury along side I81 look like a war zone had ravished the land.
 
 

 
 
LONGTOM

[Cabin4]

Drill drill and mine mine. Thats what I say and lets keep the money in our country. People need jobs more than they need anything else now. How many people out there are willing to give up there job so we can be 100% certain everything is perfect? Really dont mean jack, if you cant keep a roof over your head and feed your family.
 

[Swampman]

These aren't the jobs we need.  Ruining our hunting grounds and fishing streams will mean the loss of everything that is dear to us.  Even the attempted restorations are sterile and lack healthy diversity.  We've ruined enough in our lust for money.

[briarpatch]

In many cases most jobs require the material from mines. All electrical wiring must be made from new copper not recycled. Anything built needs electricity. When you say jobs you have to think the use of resources, there is no way around it. It is the proper removeal of resouces that is of the most importance. Have you ever hunted a new cut piece of land done properly and noticed wildlife was still there and thriving?

[Cabin4]

These aren't the jobs we need.  Ruining our hunting grounds and fishing streams will mean the loss of everything that is dear to us.  Even the attempted restorations are sterile and lack healthy diversity.  We've ruined enough in our lust for money.

Easy enough for you to say. But I wonder about the out of work electrician, plumber, carpenter or any trademans, equipment supplier, truck driver for that matter who helps build and or operate a mine or drilling operation feels the same way you do? Perhaps he's one of the 23 million out of work or the 8%  unemployed or someone who lost/about to lose his house and struggling to put food on the table for his family, if he feels the same way you do?
 
Well, we don't need to think much about that question..... do we?

[billy_56081]

Only the stupid folks that are ignorant of the mining laws wouldn't know that they now have to reclaim the land after mining. Tree huggers believe what they want to believe, even though the truth is out there in federal regulations.

[Conan The Librarian]

500,000,000,000 dollars used to seem like a lot

[Sourdough]

First of all Alaska has the most stringent requirements of all the 50 states.  We do not allow mines to distroy the environment. 
 
I have seen the Usabelli Coal Mine go in and remove all the coal from a valley.  After they were finished they totally restored the area.  They planted native grasses to pervent errosion.  Then they came back and planted native trees.  Then for several years the mine employees came back each spring and set out more trees.  Today that area is prime Moose Habitate, and no sign that the area was torn up to remove the coal exist.
 
Ft Know Gold Mine, just north of Fairbanks takes the water needed to process the ore from a local creek.  Naturally occuring arsonic was so heavy in the waters of the creek that fish could not survive in the creek.  The mine cleans up the water before returning it to the creek.  Today Grayling (A very delicate fish) thrive in the creek, right up to the release pond.
 
Think of the worker who works at equipment manufactoring companies.  Without this mine orders will not be placed for those big dump trucks that have two flights of stairs to get to the cab.  The truckers needed to take the parts to a port for shipment.  The electrician that helps maintain the shop and building where the equipment is built.  The shop that supplies welding rods to the company.  The secratery that works for the contractor that supplies protective gear for the welders.  The expiditer that delivers supplies to prevent down time in production. 
 
As I said before this mine will provide moneyfor thousands of people in the lower 48 to work.  Plus all of the specially trained people that will have to come to Alaska to assemble all that equipment.  All the trainers that will have to come up and train all the operators on each piece of equipment.  All those folks are going to need to eat, where are all the steaks they will want come from?  How about all the butter needed for their pancakes every morning?  Where is it going to come from, and who is going to get it to Alaska.  There is no stores there, so all the Carharts the men and women will need to wear will need to be shipped in after being made.  That will maybe put people to work making clothing for them.  There is going to be accidents, so there will have to be doctors and nurses on site.  With the volumne of people there a small clinic will not fill the need. 
 
Cooks, kitchen staff, labors, janitors, mechanics, drivers, Security Guards, can all be furnished locally from communities near the site.  Those people are begging for jobs.  The area just south of the mine location is one of the most isolated and economically depressed areas of Alaska.
 
The young man that grew up living in my house more than at his own home two doors down the street, and running around with my son Sky, now works for one of those Gold Mines.  He is an equipment operator.  I saw his income tax forms last year.  Four years after graduation from high school, he made $189,000.00 last year.  Two weeks on and one week off.  The mine where he works is remote and everyone lives at the mine during their shift. 
 
     

[Swampman]

Only the stupid folks that are ignorant of the mining laws wouldn't know that they now have to reclaim the land after mining. Tree huggers believe what they want to believe, even though the truth is out there in federal regulations.

Did you read what I said.  You can't "reclaim" a place that no longer exist.  When you remove a mountain and dump it in the streams they are gone forever.

[Cabin4]

Yes, that is what you said. But what you said is by no means the only outcome of a mine or drilling operation. Of course that has happened. Like just about everything, advances in mining and drilling technology make it much more viable and applicable to areas previously not accessible for a variety of reasons.

[Conan The Librarian]

Mining certainly has a bad track record here in the Midwest. Huge pollution problems, and a government willing to look the other way when there's money to be had. We've got a couple of them now in Minnesota, one affecting ground water and aquifers. Fortunately the unions largely killed mining by making it unprofitable, so it's not as big a problem as it used to be.
 
Then there's ethanol production, which wreaks havoc with ground water and aquifers. It's not technically mining, but it's similar in its impact.
 
Similar deal with logging. The basic mindset is to get in there and exploit the resource to the hilt and do it with the least amount of regulation possible, and calculating whether paying some fines is part of the cost of doing business in an industry where the fines aren't proportional to the damage. When the resource is gone, move operations to another place to exploit. That, in a nutshell, is the history of mining in America.
 
 

[powderman]

The epa is doing obamas bidding, all part of his plan to destroy us.
SOURDOUGH. Thanks, I was hoping you'd jump in with firsthand info. POWDERMAN.