It’s always a shame when one entity can spoil the work and cooperation of many. That’s what will happen if Tintina Resources spoils the Smith River with acid mine drainage.
Stillwater Mine: Cautionary tale of “modern mining”
Mining companies are notoriously poor with finances and Montanans have to look no further than one of the local mines to see an example of that. The tale of the Stillwater Mine also shows how reclamation bonds are never set high enough.
All Smith rivers are worthy of protection
Here in Montana, we want to preserve our precious Smith River, but it’s not the only Smith threatened by mining.
Over in the Kalmiopsis region of southwestern Oregon, the headwaters of the Smith River that flows through northern California are threatened by proposed nickel strip mines. The mining companies are seeking permits from the U.S. Forest Service, which just closed public comment on an environmental assessment on May 27.
Modern mining means going far over budget
People like to complain about government mismanagement of money, but a recent report has found that mining companies tend to be terrible at staying within budget. That means companies like Tintina Resources end up having little or no money left for cleanup.
Camper leads Smith River mine outreach effort
Many avid Smith River floaters know of the threat posed by the proposed Black Butte copper mine, but there are still a few who don’t have a clue. So Montana Trout Unlimited member Ezra Ginzberg has taken on the role of teacher.
DEQ takes legal action for mine reclamation funds
The struggle over who pays for the reclamation of a Lewistown-area mine has moved into the courts.
The CR Kendall Corporation filed for bankruptcy protection in November, but it has yet to finish restoration work on the CR Kendall Mine north of Lewistown in the North Moccasin Mountains. So last week, the Montana Department of Environmental Quality asked the court not to let the company out of an obligation to pay $6.2 million for the remainder of the mine reclamation.