Public invited to comment on mine-expansion plan
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Sunlight Mine is seen
in this file photo. (BLM
Photo by David Abrams)
(BUTTE, Mont.) –The public is invited to give feedback on a Plan of Operations for underground mining north of Golden Sunlight Mine’s existing open pit on lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management’s Butte Field Office.
Golden Sunlight Mine proposes to develop and mine an area approximately 3,700 feet north of the existing pit near Whitehall using underground mining techniques. The proposal, which could extend the mine life for at least three years, will extract about 1.3 million tons of ore and 0.3 million tons of non-ore rock.
Current workforce predictions for the project are for 50 mine employees and 100 contractors, a slight increase from the existing workforce.
The project involves a minor adjustment to the mine permit boundary with about 2.5 acres of new surface disturbance on lands managed by the BLM. The plan also calls for various support facilities, two parallel portals located along an existing access road and an escape portal located along previously permitted exploration roads at the north end of the project.
The Plan of Operations is posted on the Montana Department of Environmental Quality’s website at deq.mt.gov/Land/hardrock under “Golden Sunlight Amendment 016.”
Although comments will be accepted at any time throughout the process, those submitted by May 15 will be most helpful in the development of the Environmental Analysis. To be considered, all comments must contain the name and address of the submitter. Before including your address, phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment – including your personal identifying information – may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. Comments should be sent to: BLM Butte Field Office, 106 North Parkmont, Butte, MT 59701 or by e-mail to Dave Williams or Joan Gabelman at drwillia@blm.gov or jgabelma@blm.gov.
For more information, call the Butte BLM Field Office at (406) 533-7600.
– BLM –
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.