OPINION: Stibnite Gold Project is a mix of good and bad

In October 2021, Perpetua Resources announced a refined project plan that would reopen the Stibnite Gold Project in Valley County, Idaho. The SGP consists of a gold mine that was once heavily active in the 1940s, aiding in the war effort.  

The mine was historically used for gold, silver and the toxic mineral antimony. Antimony is used to make batteries and flame-retardant materials, as well as aspects of technology in smart phones, computers, solar panels, etc. It is also a major pollutant that has caused a cascade of negative environmental impacts. 

The United States relies on China, Russia and Tajikistan to supply the country with mined antimony since there are no operational antimony mines in the States. By opening the SGP, the U.S would no longer rely on foreign nations to supply them with the mineral. It would mark a stepping away from the human rights abuses that have been brought about by the conditions of antimony mines in foreign countries. 

The SGP area is extremely degraded due to its past use. Perpetua Resources has identified damage and potential damage that they plan to address, which was acknowledged by the Idaho Conservation League. This includes a “Dark Skies Agreement” with the ICL in 2018, ensuring the site causes little to no light pollution. However, the ICL does not believe the proposed resolutions will be enough. 

“It remains unclear to us how a restoration-based project can end up impacting more than twice the area that is now disturbed,” Randy Fox, the ICL’s West Central Idaho Conservation Associate said.  

According to Fox, over half of the 3500-acre disturbance area is pristine and undisturbed.  

There are additional concerns when it comes to protecting local wildlife. Salmon, bull trout, and wolverine are some of the many species that will be impacted by the proposed mine. These impacts will come in the form of water contamination, sound pollution, and an increased risk of car-wildlife collisions, all of which pose a threat to the health of the Frank Church River-Of-No-Return Wilderness, located just three miles away from the mine site. 

“We feel very confident that we can manage the environment safely,” Mckinsey Lyon, vice president of external affairs at Perpetua Resources, said in an interview. 

Unfortunately, the area of Stibnite cannot be left alone. There is too much damage to simply leave it be. There is an estimated two tons of arsenic that flow into the Salmon River every year, as well as high levels of cyanide, antimony, and mercury. According to Lyon, the biggest concern of the company is restoring the site. 

Many, including myself, view mining companies as the villains who want to leach limited resources from the Earth.  

“There is this notion that mining companies are this big, bad corporation,” Lyon said. “Everything about Perpetua challenges that assumption.”  

Perpetua Resources has invested money and time into the restoration of the Stibnite area. This includes efforts to reconnect the river, allowing necessary fish populations to once again travel to areas they were previously blocked from. It must be considered, however, that once the initial restoration is complete and the proper permits have been granted, mining will once again harm the environment.  

Many organizations and companies have been involved in restoring the damaged Stibnite area. With Perpetua Resources now included in that list, more funds have been added to the equation, something that many environmental organizations are lacking. A continued partnership in the restoration of the site with Perpetua Resources and organizations like the ICL will only lead to good things. 

During the summer of 2023, Perpetua Resources plans on removing 325 tons of legacy waste from the area with the aid of volunteers. This is one of a few examples of the company making progress in restoring the site.  

Initially, I felt that this was a very black-and-white issue. On its surface, the idea of a mine seemed like a loss for the environment. After having done extensive research and interviews with all the parties involved in the project, however, I think the issue is a little greyer than I had previously thought.  

The SGP will provide jobs to hundreds of residents of central Idaho for 20-25 years. It will seek to improve the environment before mining begins and has even committed funds to the subsequent cleanup. Randy Fox and the ICL feel this is a benefit, but only a short-term benefit. When looking at the environment, we need to be looking long-term, meaning anywhere from100 to 150 years and beyond. The mine will only be open for a relatively short time, but the environmental impacts will linger in the centuries to come.  

As a country, we need to continue to search for alternatives to the environmentally harmful practices we depend on. While the minerals excavated in mining operations may be used in products deemed “clean energy” alternatives, they are not necessarily without environmental consequence as mining continues to be an unsustainable practice that leaves scars on our planet regardless of mitigation efforts.  

“I don’t know that there is a threshold that balances that need for acceptable versus unacceptable with this proposal,” Fox said. “It’s in a very sensitive area and moving forward with mining operations just further threatens that area.” 

The reopening of the Stibnite Mine is not worth the damage that will inevitably follow. However, I do think Perpetua Resources raises a valid question: what are we going to do, and who are we willing to work with in order to improve the state of our planet? As a society we need to find ways to work together, move forward, and fix what we have broken. 

As to whether she thinks the mine would truly open after being met with such criticism and opposition, Lyon said, “of course I do.” 

Mackenzie Davidson can be reached at arg-opio[email protected] or on Twitter @mackenzie_films