Unpacking the Stibnite Mine Project - Part IX: Stibnite Gold Project Summarized

Perpetua Resources mining company has proposed to reopen a mining site near McCall Idaho to mine gold and antimony. This incredibly complex project has caught the attention of grassroots and state organizations worried about the impacts of the proposed mine on Idaho’s environment and socio-economic culture. The proposed Stibnite Mine is a huge proposed project. The affected area includes approximately 7 square miles of public land. The mine is mostly in the Payette National Forest, at the headwaters and the East Fork and the South Fork of the Salmon River. Three fish in this vital river, Chinook salmon, Steelhead, and Bull trout on the endangered species list. The mine will impact this river by degrading water quality and causing death to these endangered species. This is only one of the many potentially devastating environmental impacts of the project. The question therefore remains: why would a mine like this be worth the possible environmental degradation? Turns out, we rely on mined minerals every single day. Therefore, mining is not an inescapable evil, but perhaps with the right company it can be done responsibly and the land can recover after…