BLM Approves Modified Mine Plan for Thompson Creek Mine
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CHALLIS, ID – On Thursday, August 11, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and United States Forest Service will conditionally approve a modified mine plan to allow the production of molybdenum from the Thompson Creek Mine for approximately 10 more years. Molybdenum is used as a component to reduce corrosion and strengthen steel and other metals typically used in construction. The approval of the plan will likely result in additional surface disturbance on about 500 acres of BLM, National Forest System, and private land. Most of the disturbed land will be used for the permanent storage of waste rock following the extraction of molybdenum ore.
The BLM Record of Decision (ROD) and Forest Service ROD each conditionally approve a modified mine plan consistent with Alternative M2 analyzed in a Final Environmental Impact Statement (Final EIS) released on March 27, 2015. This alternative focuses on the potential environmental effects of the mine including water quality concerns and the use of engineered systems to safely contain waste rock and tailings and manage all water that contacts the mine. The Final EIS also analyzes the economic effects of the mine on Custer County and Idaho. At its peak, the mine employs about 400 people.
Copies of the Final EIS and RODs are available online at https://archive.org/details/draftrecordofdec00salm and at the BLM Challis Field Office, 1151 Blue Mountain Road, Challis, Idaho 83226.
Copies of the Forest Service ROD are also available at the Salmon-Challis National Forest Supervisor’s Office, 1206 South Challis Street, Salmon, Idaho 83467 and the Challis-Yankee Fork Ranger District Office, 311 North U.S. Highway 93, Challis, Idaho 83226.
For more information on the project, including requests to receive hard copies of documents by mail, please contact Ken Gardner, Project Lead, by phone at (208) 879-6210, or at the BLM Challis Field Office, 1151 Blue Mountain Road, Challis, Idaho 83226.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.