Construction and development of the mine and processing 

 complex would require about three years. The maximum 

 estimated mine life at full production is 30 years, with a 

 total production of 3.6 million tons of ore per year. Full 

 production employment is estimated at 305 to 355 people. 



ASARCO originally submitted its mine permit application 

 to the U.S. Forest Service and the DSL in May 1987. These 

 agencies responded with a list of deficiencies, and ASARCO 

 submitted its responses to the deficiencies in December 1987. 

 The state and U.S. Forest Service are continuing with their 

 completeness review. In January 1988, a public scoping 

 meeting was held to discuss the project proposal, the 

 environmental analysis process, and the numerous environ- 

 mental issues that have been raised regarding this project. 

 The major issues of concern are threatened and endangered 

 species, wilderness, the stability of the tailings impound- 

 ment, and water cpaality. 



U.S. Borax 



The United States Borax and Chemical Corporation (U.S. 

 Borax) submitted a conceptual plan for a silver-copper mine 

 in the Cabinet Mountains to the Department of State Lands and 

 the Kootenai National Forest in January 1988. The mineral 

 deposit is located 10 miles northeast of Noxon and 22 miles 

 south of Libby. Mineral exploration in the upper Rock Creek 

 drainage began in 1977, and acquisition of mining claims 

 started in 1981. The mining claims were originally con- 

 trolled by Pacific Coast Mines, Inc., Jascan Resources, Inc., 

 and Atlantic Goldfields, Inc. This association formed the-, 

 Montana Silver Venture, of which U.S. Borax was the desig- 

 nated operator. The operation was pvrrchased by Noranda, 

 Inc., in October 1988. 



The mining claims are located on federal lands in the 

 Kaniksu National Forest. The project area is located in both 

 Lincoln and Sanders counties. The company is considering a 

 number of location alternatives for the evaluation adit, 

 production adits, processing plant, tailings disposal, and 

 ancillary facilities. Additional engineering, environmental, 

 and economic evaluations are required before the preferred 

 alternatives can be selected. The major decision of whether 

 to develop the mine in the Rock Creek drainage basin or to 

 develop it from the east side of the Cabinet Mountains on 

 either Libby Creek or Ramsay Creek has not been made. Either 

 scenario would involve developing the mineral deposit under 

 the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness. 



The mining operation would involve excavating and 

 crushing the ore underground, transporting it to the surface 



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