B5F6I1

Transcribed Text (OCR)

GARY MANGIACOPA ARCHIVE
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Title:      B5F6I1
Slug:       b5f6i1
Categories: Lost Treasure
Source:     https://garymangiacopraarchive.com/b5f6i1
Pages:      3 scanned, 3 extracted
OCR:        Google Vision API (document_text_detection)
Processed:  2026-06-06
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USA TODAY 29 MAY 1998 FRIDAY page 34 colu 2-5
Could gold lead a river to ruin?
A company
disputes claims
that its proposed
mine would put
Montana's
famed Blackfoot
River at risk
By John Ritter
USA TODAY
LINCOLN, Mont.
There
are grander trout rivers, but
few as celebrated as the Black-
foot, the breathtaking back-
drop for the Norman Maclean
story and hit movie A River
Runs Through It.
From its headwaters on the
Continental Divide, the Black-
foot by turns roars and gently
meanders 132 miles through
the Rockies of western Mon-
tana, drawing fly-fishers from
around the world and pumping
[AD] $7 million a year into the local
economy.
It is one of the last Western
streams where a fly cast on
clear, chilly water attracts
trout of four species. It is a fine
run for boaters and kayakers.
And now it is a battleground
that symbolizes the tension
over Montana's future.
Seven miles west of here,
near the banks of the Black-
foot's upper reach, Canyon Re-
sources Corp. wants to develop
a huge open-pit mine that
Blackfoot River dispute
By Geoffrey Sutton for USA TODAY
On the upper reaches of the Blackfoot River, Canyon Resources
Corp. proposes using cyanide to extract gold. The Blackfoot
eventually joins the Clark Fork River and drains into Lake Pend
Oreille in Idaho. Opponents say the mining could be dangerous
to water used by ranchers and farmers.
Spokane
90
Lake
Pend
B
Oreille
Montana
Wash.
Idaho
40
Miles
AN
Clark Fork River
Missoula
Blackfoot
River
Lincoln
By Grant Jerding, USA TODAY
Activist: Scientist
Geoff Smith sits
along the Black-
foot River in Mon-
tana. He is part of
an environmental
coalition that op-
poses the Canyon
Resources Corp.'s
plans for an open-
pit gold mine. 'The
river is in grave
danger of being
changed forever,
all for the love of
gold,' Smith says.
By David Stoecklein
Star quality: Brad Pitt goes fly-
fishing in the film 'A River Runs
Through It.' The movie boosted
the Blackfoot River's fame.
the trust, the State Land Board,
comprising the governor and
Montana's four other top elect-
ed officials, has a veto.
The mine would use cyanide
"heap-leach" technology, a
process with a sullied record.
Canyon would blow up two for-
ested buttes to create a mile-
wide pit, dry it out by lowering
the underground water table,
dump more than 200 million
tons of ore into piles set on gi-
ant plastic liners, then sprinkle
the piles with billions of gallons
of cyanide-laced water to leach
out the gold.
One ton of ore would yield
about two-hundredths of an
ounce, or a fleck, of gold. The
company says the mine could
yield 5.2 million ounces.
A problem common to every
heap-leach site is acid mine
drainage: when the plastic lin-
ers spring leaks and cyanide,
zinc and arsenic seep into the
soil. In the worst cases, pollut-
ants reach groundwater and
streams.
Dana Allen, an Environmen-
tal Protection Agency engineer
in Denver, says that based on
Canyon's data, "we calculate
there would be only a minute
change" in the Blackfoot's wa-
ter quality, "but probably too
small to measure." Still, EPA
wants Canyon to install a sec-
ond plastic liner under the rock
piles. Canyon says if it has to do
that it couldn't make a profit.
Snoddy says thick clay un-
der the liner will contain leaks,
and the buttes have very little
sulfur, which bleeds pollutants
out of the rock.

[PAGE BREAK]

With both countries having
tested nuclear weapons and
now threatening to deploy
them, concerns are mounting
that a region that has seen four
wars in 50 years could be
lurching toward a cataclysm.
"Both nations are on a slip-
pery slope," says Paul Le-
venthal, president of the Nucle-
ar Control Institute. "We could
see a replay of 1962, when the
U.S. and Soviet Union came
within a hair's breadth of nu-
clear war. Kashmir (contested
by India and Pakistan) is to-
day's Cuba."
"We need immediate con-
crete steps by India and Paki-
stan to turn down the heat,"
says Michael Krepon, presi-
tory
from carrying out its own tests
two weeks ago. Pakistan, in the
words of its prime minister,
Nawaz Sharif, "jumped into the
flames" Thursday even though
its heavily indebted economy
and small population are far
less equipped than India's to
deal with economic penalties.
President Clinton, who
called Sharif at midnight
Wednesday in a last attempt to
prevent a test, urged both coun-
tries to renounce further tests
and sign a 1996 test ban treaty.
"We will be very imagina-
tive in looking for every possi-
ble way we can to help the two
parties defuse the literally
as well as figuratively - explo-
sive situation that has now de-
By BK Bangash, AP
In Islamabad: Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif speaks to
reporters Thursday. Pakistan 'jumped into the flames,' he said.
veloped between them," Depu-
ty Secretary of State Strobe
Talbott said.
But the U.S. position is un-
dercut by the fact that the Unit-
ed States, which conducted
thousands of tests before sign-
ing the test ban in 1996, has not
yet ratified it because of oppo-
sition in the Senate.
Pakistan's tests caused Sen.
Sam Brownback, R-Kan., who
heads a subcommittee on Near
Eastern and South Asian Af-
fairs, to retract the one carrot
the administration had public-
ly offered Pakistan: repealing
sanctions already in place
against U.S. military sales.
"My concern is how the Unit-
ed States manages to re-engage
both India and Pakistan without
rewarding them," former CIA
director John Deutch says. He
says the United States must "en-
courage a dialogue" that might
bring some transparency to
their strategic rivalry, much as
the United States and Soviet
Union in the 1970s began a pro-
cess of arms control and ulti-
mately reduction.
Despite much saber-rattling
and table-thumping during the
In Washington: President Clinton, spe
event Thursday, said there was no ch
Cold War, Americans and Sovi- te
ets never fought a hot war. But N
the United States and Soviet
Union were not divided by reli-
gious passions.
Created as homelands for
Hindus and Muslims out of
British colonial India, India
and Pakistan share a nearly
2,000-mile border and endur-
ing hatred. India set off its first
nuclear test in 1974. Until
Thursday, Pakistan had not re-
sponded in kind. But it
amassed nuclear materials
with Canadian and French
help and acquired weapons
of
at
In
th
tin
on
fe
ra
eq
he
CO
CO
in
South Asian tests
Pakistan and India have a long-standing conflict over control
of the region of Kashmir. India rules two-thirds and Pakistan
the remaining one-third of Kashmir. Pakistan and India have
fought three wars since 1947 and came dangerously close
to a fourth confrontation in 1990.
THE LIFE FITNESS 5500HR
FREE
the Clark Fork River, which
shed. The Blackfoot drains into
preserve the Clark Fork water-
conservation group working to
Fork-Pend Oreille Coalition, a
staff scientist with the Clark
contain it," says Geoff Smith, a
used cyanide has been able to
"No major gold mine that
fish populations.
store the Blackfoot and boost
undo a decade of work to re-
Donald Gold Project could
stream. They say Canyon's Mc-
farmers and ranchers down-
and contaminate water used by
off the threatened bull trout
leaks will poison the river, kill
Environmentalists fear toxic
gold.
would use cyanide to extract
liam Snoddy, Canyon's
the visual impacts," says Wil-
mental impacts, to minimize
tive to eliminate the environ-
"We're trying to be innova-
Blackfoot.
a mine that won't degrade the
Canyon says it has designed
most endangered rivers.
annual list of the nation's 10
put the Blackfoot back on its
conservation organization, to
ers, a Washington, D.C.-based
posal prompted American Riv-
Last month, the mine pro-
says.
for the love of gold," Smith
of being changed forever, all
"The river is in grave danger
in northern Idaho.
empties into Lake Pend Oreille
director
Montana was the Treasure
was known as Big Sky Country,
carry the day. Long before it
Those arguments used to
seasonal tourism.
dependent on agriculture and
and retail income to a region
dreds of jobs and commercial
state royalties, plus bring hun-
year in property taxes and
generate at least $5 million a
company says the mine would
14% were undecided. The
mine, 37% were in favor and
found that 49% opposed the
newspaper in December 1997,
wide poll in The Missoulian
pro-mine sentiment. A state-
Economic benefit drives
fairs.
of public and government al-
statement is filed. Because of
nal environmental impact
sometime next year after a fi-
will approve or reject the mine
State and federal agencies
[AD] $60 million windfall.
The college stands to reap a
Science & Technology in Butte.
Montana College of Mineral
land whose beneficiary is the
8-square-mile site is state trust
operate for 14 years. Most of its
The McDonald mine would
are in precious-metal mining.
half of 1% of Montana's jobs
silver. But today, less than one-
Spanish for gold and
Plata
el and the state motto, Oro y
industry clout: a pick and shov-
flag are the symbols of mining-
State. Right there on the state
them ruining my state."
ruining my river. I don't want
Blackfoot. "I don't want them
about a quarter mile from the
says Ben Dupuy, who lives
elk graze on that mountain,"
down that mountain. I watch
"I don't want them to chop
eyesores for years.
foot-high rock piles would be
But opponents say the 300-
would be as good as before.
and shrubs. Wildlife habitat
topsoil and planted with trees
piles would be covered with
lake stocked with fish. Rock
blasting the buttes would be a
end. In time, the hole made by
ately and not wait for mining to
restoring land almost immedi-
Canyon says it would start

[PAGE BREAK]

NEW YORK HERALD, SUNDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1916
ds His Lost Papa WILL HUNT MINE
Will Ask No More
Izabeth, N. J., Malls a Letter with Piti-
Parent Be Returned to His
Home and Family,
especially, often and where his
and when I tell him I don't know
I wish he'd come back
don't you, mama and
en though I'm afraid be poyer, will
Raymond SANTA RESHOES
LOST 23 YEARS AGO
TRA
sence a great rock slide had come down fereaping steam completely enveloped the Eng
the mountain and the workings tho remen before he had a chance to get out the
of the cab.
buildings and all were completely co
ared. It is said that Pelling left the
place in disgust and never returned.
Three prospectora, to whom Pelling had
given directions for dading the place, went
Into the country Ave years later, but were
killed by Flathead Indians. No one know
what had happened to the three men until
about two years later, when an Indian told
The train was stopped and the injured Qui
man transferred to the baggage car. Then knel
the engine driver put on full speed for all t
Montana Prospectors Plan Expedition the story to William Ramsdell, who at
Into Wolf Creek Country for
Rich Silver Ledge.
Live
Last Mont
time in many
OAKLAND CADDIES
bo ma
Wear and tear on patience to the grin
pal damage suffered
the members of
Bayside, but who
girl caddles
tear" strikes
the Oakland Ook
with this scores
et the club the
that time owned the Gixty-hine Ranch in
the Tabacon Plains country
For a few years following a day
tory efforts were teade by prospe
And the lost mine without succone,
exhaustive arch bas ever been made o
far as to known bere, and during recent
For the Are Fears the mine seems to have been only
Camps in likely to forgotten. The country in which it is to-
cated to uninhabited, is quite rough and lo
mer by tapby prosper-accessible except by an old trail
Wolf Creek lost mice, sup
located about forty miles et
Heress of the Fire Department, to whom
It has be about aften sam daring deeds are all in a day's work, and
has pearched for the rich spectacular rescues they have performed
bera ere described in west Sunday's WWW
YORK HERALD.
GIVES LAST RITES IN
now of the property.
According to the accepted story, the mine
ake happy more vital spot-the very foundation of covered by James Pelling dr
tute a new their profession, in fact-their chose. With than twenty-five years ago in a chort
da between thla ta mind Charles Finlay, president range of mountales about four miles above
promptings of the Aetna National Bank, an enthusia Wolf Creek Falls
he following the Bayside golfer, will to-morrow give
cach of more than one hundred and afty Pelling worked at the property for
boys and girls who have cicated on the four or five years, making frequent trips Priest Administers' Extreme Unction
shoes and stockings. Clerks from overal
Manhattan stores have been busy for residents then were placer minera Ther
Oakland links this year a pair of new into the Libby country, where the only
eral days in more than a hundred homes an all know of the mine, and the suppo
con scattered over the Bayalde region taking sition was choral that the ledge was
the measures of a large and varied accortment very rich one
you of caddy feat." The presentation wo
him, made at the club house to-morrow.
tal to
GIVES PARK MEN GOLD.
RACING AMBULANCE
to Injured Fireman on Way to
Englewood (N. J.) Hospital
Riding in an ambulance from the Drie
Railroad station to the Englewood Hos-
After having developed the property pital, yesterday, the Rev. Father Quigley
amolently, Falling took steps to have administered the last rites of the Catholle
his claim patented He employed a our Church to John Holley, of Nyack, N. Y.
veyor, but when he returned from Thompa araman on an Drie train, who was badly
the lot-
There will not be any lack of Christ son Falls with the surveyor the property burned by steam when a valve in the 1000-
mas turkeys for Central Park laborers and had utterly Cleappeared. During his ab- motive blow out at Cresskill, N. J. The
to work menagerie men next week, for each one
har hun whose pay is 13 a day or less will get a
has brand new gold plece from Mra. Rus-
children sell Bago as a gift to use as he willa Mra
rid.com The Sage never misses a day in the park and
ctady or in as become interested in the men who work
there. Her gift will amount to 1, and
would re-will be made next Friday, giving the man
y children, plenty of time to buy turkeya.
relative of given money to him. I think I know
the man, but we must have a specialo
complaint and that is a great handlopD
DRY GOODS, &a
Thirty-Fourth
Street,
DRY GOODS, &Q
Just West of
Waldorf.
DRY GOODS, &c.
Lord &
Founded I
Wrapper De
Negligees or Ho
Imported French Albatross, Sha
ered and Val. lace trimmed.
[AD] $9.75-Value
Imported French Albatross, A
collar, lace trimmed,
[AD] $7.95-Value
Albatross, Lingerie or Dotted 8
sleeves lace trimmed,
[AD] $8.75 & 9.75-
French Flannel, embroidered
collar, cuffs and down front,
[AD] $5.95-Value
Imported Japanese Q
embroidered-$10.50-
Eiderdown R