BURLEY — A gold mining company wants to expand its exploration project in the Black Pine Mountains.
Pilot Gold, a subsidiary of Liberty Gold, has already been doing exploratory drilling since April 2019 in the Black Pine Mountains, located in the southwestern corner of Cassia County near the Utah border. The company has requested approval to expand its operation.
The Forest Service has so far said the project will have no significant impact on the environment.
Pilot’s project expansion would potentially disturb 51 acres. It would include 15 miles of new access roads and 154 new drill pads. The company built 5 miles of access roads during the first phase of exploration in 2019 and constructed 46 drill pads. Pilot found two mineralized zones in 2019 within the old Black Pine mine area.
An open-pit, heap leach operation in the Black Pine Mountains yielded 434,780 ounces (27,174 pounds) of gold from 1992 to 1998. The Pegasus Gold Corporation, which had the rights to the mine, then went bankrupt during a period of low gold prices.
Western Pacific Minerals re-staked the site in 2009, selling its claims to Pilot Gold (Liberty’s subsidiary) in 2016 for $800,000, Liberty stock shares and royalties on any gold Pilot takes to market.
People can find more specifics on the project or comment on the plan at fs.usda.gov/project/?project=57685.
Fonte: Magic Valley
