Tucked in the mountains of Valley County in a small town just east of Yellow Pine is the Stibnite Mine District. The district was mined for more than 100 years, dating back to 1899 before closing. Now, a proposed project looks to reopen the mine.
Perpetua Resources, formerly Midas Gold, wants to open the mine again with the Stibnite Gold Project to primarily mine for gold and antimony but also some silver. Antimony is commonly used to make bullets and batteries.
According to Perpetua Resources, during World War II, Stibnite Mine District provided 90% of the antimony and 50% of the tungsten for the U.S. The site was mined up until 1996 but has since sat vacant.
After years of project refinement and 10,000 public comments following the Forest Service’s Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement, or SDEIS, Perpetua’s Modified Mine Plan was released to the public.
The Stibnite Gold Project is weighty, encompassing more than 1,700 miles. Perpetua wants to clean up the mining district that has tailings and waste from decades ago and again give the U.S. access to a critical mineral. But opponents say this project would further damage the environment. And Valley County officials are split on whether the mine would help or hurt the area.
