Post by Catdaddy on Jan 26, 2008 20:28:39 GMT -5
Mining plan to be aired
Dianne Stallings dstallings@ruidosonews.com
Article Launched: 01/25/2008 09:10:20 AM MST
www.ruidosonews.com/news/ci_8076569
Laying the groundwork for two public meetings on precious metal mining exploration proposed for federal land north of Capitan, Robert Berglund reviewed key points with Lincoln County commissioners Tuesday.
He contended while some neighboring property owners worry that El Capitan Precious Metals Inc. may be fly-by-night or that company officials are more interested in selling speculation stock, the enterprise is backed by experts and is serious.
Berglund, a resident of Corona, said the people involved in the enterprise include professors and professionals, who would not take a chance of tarnishing their reputations.
The meetings are set for 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Monday, at the Capitan Village Hall Meeting Room, 114 Lincoln St., and from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Tuesday, at the Ruidoso Convention Center, 111 Sierra Blanca Dr.
During each meeting, GL Environ-mental Inc, and El Capitan Precious Metals Inc. representatives will provide information regarding the Plan of Operation. Officials with the U.S. Forest Service will answer questions on the National Environmental Policy Act process.
Berglund told county commissioners that an old iron mine sits on top of the ore body about six miles north of Capitan in the Lincoln National
Forest. Four claims were staked in 1902 and patented in 1911, just in time for the government to be interested because of a world war. But the amount mined proved too little to maintain that interest, he said.
In 1994, Gold and Minerals Co. Inc. assumed control of the area. In 2002, El Capitan became a partner and, in 2007, it took over as manager.
Berglund said that to date 45 holes are drilled not deeper than 710 feet with an average of 283 feet. They anticipate 141 million tons of gold equivalent, which means the complex deposit contains platinum and silver.
"We believe the method greatly understates the potential," he said, adding that a new assaying process could be employed.
The mining project covers 2,000 acres, with much of the initial activity in a 200-acre core. The surface will be disturbed, but the mine would not spiral wider and wider in the style of a copper mining operation, he said.
One of the irritants locally is the impression that company officials tried to move ahead without proper authorization. The company was ordered by the Mining Act Reclamation Program manager of the New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department in March 2007, to cease unpermitted exploration activities.
Bryan Bird with Forest Guardians said Thursday his environmental group is in-volved because of the potential for losing a pristine landscape and wildlife habitat.
"It's largely a pristine landscape that is incredibly valuable for many reasons," Bird said. "To tear it up for a (publicly traded) corporation's quick profit does not make a lot of sense. These are public lands, owned by everyone. To come in at the expense of the greater public good, we really need to think about this. As the economy changes, we need to think about the long-term value, before we rip out resources for the short-term profit of one company."
Those values include water, an immense elk population, Smokey Bear's homeland and archaeological sites throughout the mountain site, he said.
"So there needs to be careful weighing of the options."
He pointed out that public records don't show El Capitan as flush with money and he questioned where officials will get the cash to develop a mine and perform the necessary reclamation.
"So the question is, what are they doing and why do they need to be upsetting everyone there so much," he said.
At the commission meeting Tuesday, Berglund said an environmental assessment by a consultant is 95 percent complete, but a full-blown environmental impact statement also may be required.
Berglund said mining is anticipated to run for about 14 years. Commissioner Eileen Lovelace asked what the mountain will look like when the mine is finished, but Berglund said the size is unknown.
Commissioner Dave Parks questioned possible leaching of cyanide into Bonito Lake Reservoir as an offshoot of the ore extraction process.
Berglund replied that the extraction can be done safely, but acknowledged that a lot of controversy is tied to the process. In response to a question from Robert Moeller of Nogal, he said another waste product of the operation will be piles of tailing - ground up rocks - that will have to be stored.
San Patricio resident Ken Nosker said the rock could be used for gravel roads in the county. He backed the mine as economically beneficial to the county, creating jobs.
According to information handed out by Berglund, El Capitan is a publicly traded Nevada-based company that holds a 40 percent interest in the El Capitan deposit. It is the process of merging with its partner, Gold and Minerals Co. Inc., sometime before July 2008, to consolidate under one entity.
Permit applications for drilling on the 2,000-acre parcel were submitted in the last half of 2007.
Listed on the Board of Directors are Donald W. Gentry, Ph.D, retired from Polymet Mining Corp. in 2003, after five years as its president, and an Emeritus Professor of Mining Engineering with the Colorado School of Mines; and Marvin K. Kaiser, retired from Doe Run Company as executive vice president after 13 years with the multinational mining firm.
Dianne Stallings dstallings@ruidosonews.com
Article Launched: 01/25/2008 09:10:20 AM MST
www.ruidosonews.com/news/ci_8076569
Laying the groundwork for two public meetings on precious metal mining exploration proposed for federal land north of Capitan, Robert Berglund reviewed key points with Lincoln County commissioners Tuesday.
He contended while some neighboring property owners worry that El Capitan Precious Metals Inc. may be fly-by-night or that company officials are more interested in selling speculation stock, the enterprise is backed by experts and is serious.
Berglund, a resident of Corona, said the people involved in the enterprise include professors and professionals, who would not take a chance of tarnishing their reputations.
The meetings are set for 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Monday, at the Capitan Village Hall Meeting Room, 114 Lincoln St., and from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Tuesday, at the Ruidoso Convention Center, 111 Sierra Blanca Dr.
During each meeting, GL Environ-mental Inc, and El Capitan Precious Metals Inc. representatives will provide information regarding the Plan of Operation. Officials with the U.S. Forest Service will answer questions on the National Environmental Policy Act process.
Berglund told county commissioners that an old iron mine sits on top of the ore body about six miles north of Capitan in the Lincoln National
Forest. Four claims were staked in 1902 and patented in 1911, just in time for the government to be interested because of a world war. But the amount mined proved too little to maintain that interest, he said.
In 1994, Gold and Minerals Co. Inc. assumed control of the area. In 2002, El Capitan became a partner and, in 2007, it took over as manager.
Berglund said that to date 45 holes are drilled not deeper than 710 feet with an average of 283 feet. They anticipate 141 million tons of gold equivalent, which means the complex deposit contains platinum and silver.
"We believe the method greatly understates the potential," he said, adding that a new assaying process could be employed.
The mining project covers 2,000 acres, with much of the initial activity in a 200-acre core. The surface will be disturbed, but the mine would not spiral wider and wider in the style of a copper mining operation, he said.
One of the irritants locally is the impression that company officials tried to move ahead without proper authorization. The company was ordered by the Mining Act Reclamation Program manager of the New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department in March 2007, to cease unpermitted exploration activities.
Bryan Bird with Forest Guardians said Thursday his environmental group is in-volved because of the potential for losing a pristine landscape and wildlife habitat.
"It's largely a pristine landscape that is incredibly valuable for many reasons," Bird said. "To tear it up for a (publicly traded) corporation's quick profit does not make a lot of sense. These are public lands, owned by everyone. To come in at the expense of the greater public good, we really need to think about this. As the economy changes, we need to think about the long-term value, before we rip out resources for the short-term profit of one company."
Those values include water, an immense elk population, Smokey Bear's homeland and archaeological sites throughout the mountain site, he said.
"So there needs to be careful weighing of the options."
He pointed out that public records don't show El Capitan as flush with money and he questioned where officials will get the cash to develop a mine and perform the necessary reclamation.
"So the question is, what are they doing and why do they need to be upsetting everyone there so much," he said.
At the commission meeting Tuesday, Berglund said an environmental assessment by a consultant is 95 percent complete, but a full-blown environmental impact statement also may be required.
Berglund said mining is anticipated to run for about 14 years. Commissioner Eileen Lovelace asked what the mountain will look like when the mine is finished, but Berglund said the size is unknown.
Commissioner Dave Parks questioned possible leaching of cyanide into Bonito Lake Reservoir as an offshoot of the ore extraction process.
Berglund replied that the extraction can be done safely, but acknowledged that a lot of controversy is tied to the process. In response to a question from Robert Moeller of Nogal, he said another waste product of the operation will be piles of tailing - ground up rocks - that will have to be stored.
San Patricio resident Ken Nosker said the rock could be used for gravel roads in the county. He backed the mine as economically beneficial to the county, creating jobs.
According to information handed out by Berglund, El Capitan is a publicly traded Nevada-based company that holds a 40 percent interest in the El Capitan deposit. It is the process of merging with its partner, Gold and Minerals Co. Inc., sometime before July 2008, to consolidate under one entity.
Permit applications for drilling on the 2,000-acre parcel were submitted in the last half of 2007.
Listed on the Board of Directors are Donald W. Gentry, Ph.D, retired from Polymet Mining Corp. in 2003, after five years as its president, and an Emeritus Professor of Mining Engineering with the Colorado School of Mines; and Marvin K. Kaiser, retired from Doe Run Company as executive vice president after 13 years with the multinational mining firm.
