BONDING By Chuck Chase, Bonding Chairman
For those of you that send in bonds using the bonding sheet in the back of the newsletter. Please fill it out with your claim name, ORMC number, the Forest your in (WWNF or the Umitilla NF).
Some of you that send in your bond with the $3,000 bond circled when you only have a $1,500 bond previously. I hope this clears up this misunderstanding over the $1,500 and the $3,000 reclamation bond. The $1,500 reclamation bond is a general bond that is issued to miners for small disturbances. To receive this bond you have to be a member in good standing with paid up dues.
The $3,000 good miner reclamation bonds are only issued to miners that have proven themselves by reclaiming their mine sites when they had the $1,500 reclamation bond. The $3,000 bond costs 10% of the amount or $300 for the first year. And like the $1,500 bond $30 per year there after. If you wish to put in for a good miner $3,000 reclamation bond you may submit your bond sheet with your 10% remittence to the EOMA. We will check with the Forest to see if they have any problems with previous reclamation you have done in the past. We will also take into consideration other miners that recommend you for this bond.
To hold your bond in good standing you need keep it current by paying your $30 bond fee each year. When you stop paying your bond fee you need to reclaim all disturbance on your claim that you were bonded for. Remember you can’t bond if your dues aren’t current. I hope this answers questions that miners have been asking over the years.
Keep in mind this is a good will agreement between us and the Forest and can be rescinded at any time by either party. Miners that skip out on their obligation to reclaim their mine site throws their reclamation obligation responsibility back onto your friends and other miners and the EOMA to complete the reclamation obligation. Being good stewards of your mining claim fosters good will between miners and the Forest Service and keeps you mining without putting up a cash bond.
EOMA MEETINGS
Meetings are on the first Friday of the month. They are held at 1st and Auburn at the City Hall Chambers. Board meetings start at 6:00 and the general meeting starts at 6:30.
NEXT YEAR DUES AND BOND
At the last meeting the Executive Board decided that the conflict of the dues and bonds falling on EOMA elections was to big of a conflict at our March meeting. We decided to move them back to January 1, 2011. We apologize for the conflict of changing the dues date, but to vote in the elections your dues must be currently paid up thru 2011. With all the dues pouring in around the first of March it is overloading the Executive Board (ME). The Due date will remain the same for this year, March 1st.
EOMA MEDALLIONS 2010
Just got confirmation from Kim Lethlean that our 2010 medallions just came in awhile ago. Kim confided in me that the latest issue of the EOMA Medallions are the best ever. Kim said the gold pan that held just one nugget, now the pan is almost entirely covered with gold. For those of you that have sent in money we will get your orders out as soon as we can. I will email the information on standing orders to Kim, our Medallion Chairman and we will get the show on the road..
We are currently sold out of the 2009's and the 2008's. These medallions are going fast with silver on the rise. So get your order in now for the 2010's. Make sure you get yours before they run out.
The price on the 2010 medallions will be $30 dollars plus $2 dollar shipping. If you have never seen our medallions, they have a gold pan with real gold nuggets in it. The new ones are even better instead of one nugget the pan is covered with gold. Pretty cool huh.
CHECK OUT OUR NEW WEB SITE
If you haven’t checked it out yet you really missing something. Not only does it have back EOMA newsletters, but it also has a store where you can buy mining equipment. It also has a for sale section with mines, equipment, gold, silver, books and much more for sale, check it out. Just go into “Internet Explorer” and type in “Eastern Oregon Mining Association” and your there. Come visit us and see the new additions. Our Web Master Brian Gardner has done an excellent job of putting together this site and keeping it up dated. You will also find a copy of our By Laws at the web site for your review or to copy off.
The Web Page Committee has met and streamlined the Web Page to more reflect the direction that the EOMA wanted to go. Brian has done an exceptional job putting the Web Site together, and we would like to commend you one the work you put into this Web Site.........
If you have anything that you want to put on the Miners Exchange. The criteria to list your items are you will need to be a paid up member. Have your own user code to place your item in the Exchange. Ken Alexander is the designated person to give out the user codes. Kens number is 541-446-3413, and Ken will dispense your very own user code.
Excellent Job Brian, we have been getting people from the web site applying for membership, good job.
EOMA MORNS THE LOSS OF A MINER AND GOOD FRIEND By Chuck Chase
I had a call from good friends Jack and Marilyn Mc Creary informing me that a good friend of mine Myron Doyal had passed away in Mexico. Myron had moved to Mexico three or four years ago. He said he was tired of the cold and thats where he was going to retire and thats where he was going to die. Over the years Myron told me you couldn’t beat the climate. The temperature didn’t change twenty degrees from summer to winter, 60 degrees in the winter and 80 in the summer. And the senorita’s, well they couldn’t speak English worth a darn. Myron’s ashes were taken out to sea and spread over the ocean off Mexico’s coast.
I remember one thing about Myron that makes me smile every time I think of it. Myron was having trouble with the Forest Service, they were constantly messing with his mining operation. Or knowing Myron maybe it was the other way around. Myron showed up at one of EOMA meetings with a arm load of posters, passing them out to anybody that would take them. There was only one condition you had to take them with you when they went into the mountains and nail them to trees. The posters said “Forest Service Personal Not Welcome”. For the next two months these posters showed up all over the Wallowa Whitman and the Umatilla Forest. They were everywhere you looked, the membership worked over time putting these posters out. Everywhere you looked there it was telling the Forest personal they were not wanted. For two months the main job of the Forest Service was to tear down all these posters. I Got where I would pack a ladder and put them up where they couldn’t get to them without packing a ladder themselves. Go bless you Myron.........
THE 2010 CALENDARS ARE IN AND THEY ARE GOING FAST
Still have some 2010 calendars left if you need one. Fill out the flyer in the newsletter to order your 2010 calendars today. If you liked the prior years, you’re sure to love this one too. The 2010 edition includes all the important dates, contact info, and mining facts that you’ve come to rely on plus a whole new array of pictures. With gold prices making history in 2010, some great operations began so don’t miss seeing some of the snapshots. Order one for your house, one for your cabin, yer out house, and give ‘em as gifts... all year long... they’re collectable !
If you missed out on the First or Second Edition of this collectable set, we may be able to come up with another 2007, 2008 or 2009 calendar for about five bucks apiece, plus another buck for postage – just send us a note with your completed order form and check. The 2010's are just $7.50 plus one dollar postage, or 3 for just $20. Prior issues are just $5.00 apiece plus one dollar shipping.
EOMP RENDEZVOUS
The Eastern Oregon Miners and Prospectors, sister organization of the Eastern Oregon Mining Association, are holding their first rendezvous of the year at Auburn on the Sun Dog claims. They told me there is good gold this year and they are expecting miners coming from all over. As usual there will be a multitude of processing plants and recovery operations. There is plenty of room for camping and parking. The rendezvous dig will be on May 14th , 15th, and the 16th. For more information call Ken Brasel at: 541-524-7657 or you may email him at:
braselken@gmail.com
You can scope out EOMP at eomp.org check em out. They have a lot of fun scraping and digging for that elusive yellow metal....
INTRODUCTION TO GOLD PROSPECTING By Chuck Chase
Blue Mountain Community College is putting on a class on gold prospecting. Ken Anderson and Chuck Chase will be instructors and will be covering a variety of subjects on geology, mineralogy, claim staking. How to research and to pick an area, dowsing technics and small scale recovery. Using LR 2000 on your computer to research for open ground, and geophysical and general prospecting. The classes will run from 5-06 to 5-27. The classes will culminate with field trips to EOMP’s Sun Dog Claims and to Elk Creek Claims. For more information the mining classes call Blue Mountain Community Collage at: 541-523-9127 or on line at: www.bluecc.edu
THE OREGON MINING ASSOCIATION By Chuck Chase
For years Oregon miners have tried to unite into one organization. The first attempt was The Oregon Independent Miners. With the help of Bill Mote, Executive Director of Northwest Mining Association, myself and mining leaders from across Oregon and several from California met in Cottage Grove, Oregon. This was the start of OIM which flourished for quite a few years. They did a tremendous job lobbying and putting forth legislation. But from lack of funding and finding people to step forward it died from lack of interest and neglect. It is tough to get people to drive clear across the state for a meeting. I served a President for the first year, the first meeting was in Pottsville in SE Oregon. A long way for one day meeting, especially from Baker City up in Eastern Oregon.
I felt so good about getting OIM organized, I worked with Bill Mote of NWMA to form a national organization called Alliance of Independent Miners (AIM). Terry Drever Gee and myself along with mining leaders from all over the West met at resort in Idaho to form AIM. Unfortunately AIM only lasted for about a year or so before it collapsed because of neglect. Mining leaders already overloaded with responsibilities of their own organizations had little left to contribute to AIM. Alliance of Independent Miners managed to have one more meeting a year later it was very evident at that time that the goals were scattered and no one had control of the reins and it was disintegrating from within. Several in the organization assumed leadership but it was all about them, real power trip. It soon ended with collapse of support from the rest of the organizations.
Now mining leaders in Oregon are again putting forward the notion that we need a umbrella organization for Oregon Miners. The internet has been on fire on how to began to put it together. Listing all the mistakes that were made in the last attempt at a Oregon Mining Association (OIM). The question is not if we will put together a Oregon Mining Association, but when. The protocol is at this time being formed by mining leaders, and each version gets a little better with each reading.
There are some of the mining community want to form a national mining association for the small miners at the same time, or shortly afterward. We will have our hands full with trying to make a Oregon Mining Association work with out doubling down with two of them.
GUY MICHAEL LEGAL FUND
UPDATE ON THE GUY MICHAEL CASE By Guy Michael
As of a couple of days ago I signed an agreement with a lawyer. His name is Theodore Mahr. I met him at the Tea Party recently held in Baker City. After talking with him on the various issues that concerns miners and discussing my case against BLM, he said that he wants to help. We later sat down to go over some things about the direction I wanted to go. I am currently bringing him up to speed on some of the history of my case and the aspects of the mining law.
I felt that Fred Kelly Grant’s health was such that it would be better to not add my case to his already full load on helping local governments understand and implement coordination. After the meeting with Ted, I think that he will do a fine job for my case. I had a little over $800 to start this case and it will not be enough.
My case will be different in some ways, because my case will be charging the employees of BLM with trespassing. It was them who confiscated my equipment and interfered with my valid mining location and it was not in the course of their duty as agents for the government. Citizens of the United States have rights under the Mining Law, it is time we start challenging when the employees of the government stop recognizing current law.
This is really a bad time in some respects, because there are so many issues in line for financial help, we have several court cases already in the works; this would include the efforts against the 700PM permit, which is beginning to escalate. Should anyone wish to help support this cause or my case please send your help to EOMA and state whether it is for Guy Michael’s legal fund or the 700PM legal fund.
Finer points concerning my case will be forth coming as we prepare to file.
OREGON MINERS LEGAL FUND
Ongoing fund raisers by orgainazations in Oregon, principally Bob Baldwin of North Bend Prospectors, has been the major portion of the funds coming into the Oregon Legal Fund. Bob has organized fund raisers using EOMA silver medallions as prizes. Bob has talked other organizations into using the medallions for drawings and prizes to help raise money for the legal fund. Thanks Bob and all the rest of you that help raise money for upcoming legal problems with DEQ. If you wish to donate to the Oregon Miners Legal Fund, send your contributions to: EOMA, Oregon Miners Legal Fund, PO Box 932, Baker City, OR 97814.
We are currently running three legal funds. The Guy Michael’s Legal Fund, Our Oregon Miners Legal fund, which covers the expense of our on going litigation with DEQ and NEDC over dredging in Oregon. Our EOMA Legal fund which is a discretionary legal fund to fight or fund the unexpected. It is kind of a piggy bank in case we can’t meet our obligations in the Oregon Miners Legal Fund. These were monies that was donated to Jan Alexander by miners that were to help her with her legal expenses. They was a most generous out pouring of contributions from miners to help Jan. She had charges filed on her by DOGAMI Governing Board instigated by BLM to take Jan out, they claimed that Jan was working as a Geologist. . Jan prevailed in the case and she paid her own legal expenses and the monies in the account are essentially Jan’s. If and when we need to tap these monies Jan will have an awful lot to say about where, why and when.
When you contribute, please designate which legal fund to put it in. If you don’t designate which fund, we will put it where the fire is the hottest.
A big thanks to Joe Mann, Harvey Halverson and Bob Baldwin of North Bend Prospectors for their contribution to the legal fund.
EPA TO REDUCE MERCURY EMISSIONS BY 73% By Dorothy Kosich RENO, NV -
The EPA has proposed lowering mercury emissions for U.S. gold mine processing and production facilities by as much as 73% from 2007 levels to 1,390 pounds of emissions annually.
The agency said it is building on reductions from Nevada's successful program for controlling mercury emissions from precious metal mining. Nevada is home to 15 gold mines which would also fall under the proposed EPA regulation.
The EPA estimated there are about 20 facilities in the United States that would be subject to the proposed rule, which will cost $6.2 million to implement with annual costs of $3.8 million. The agency claims that gold mines are the sixth largest source of mercury air emissions in this country.
However, the agency noted, Some facilities in Nevada already, including some of the nation's largest gold ore processing facilities, are making significant progress toward the proposed reductions under the Nevada Mercury Air Emissions Control Program, which requires controls at precious metal mining facilities.
The proposed rule would establish mercury emissions limits for three types of processes: ore-pretreatment processes (primarily heating processes used to prepare ore for gold extraction); and carbon and non-carbon concentrate processes (both of which separate gold from ore).
The proposed mercury limits include 149 pounds of existing pretreatment processes as well as 149 pounds from new pretreatment process sources; 2.6 lb from existing carbon processes and 0.14lb from new carbon processes; and 0.25 lb. each for both existing and current non-carbon concentrate processes. At full implementation, the aforementioned limits are estimated to reduce mercury emissions to 0.7 tons per year.
Each gold operation would be required annual mercury emissions tests at all emissions stacks. In addition, EPA is seeking comment on two options for continuous or frequent (weekly) testing at facilities using roasters to pretreat ore.
The State of Nevada adopted the first airborne mercury emissions regulatory program for precious metals in March 2008.
Officials in Utah and Idaho, as well as environmental special interest groups, claimed that air currents from northeastern Nevada gold mines carry mercury downwind to Idaho, Utah, Colorado and Wyoming. NGOs insist that other states have enacted far tougher mercury emission regulations than Nevada, which mainly address power plants, iron and steel smelters, and waste incineration facilities.
To obtain a copy of the proposed rule, go to www.epa.gov/ttn/oarpg/new.html. The EPA will take public comment on the proposed rule for 30 days after it is published in the Federal Register.
WYDEN JOINS MICHAEL BLOOMBERG TO BAN GUNS
By Chuck Chase
Senator Ron Wyden co sponsored SB 843 backing Bloombers’s blueprint for Federal action. The bill would end private gun sales at gun show nationwide. With the coming election, we think it’s important that gun owners in Oregon know where one of their Senators stands. Wyden stands solidly with the anti gun crowd
JET FUEL LACED WITH ALUMINUM POISONING THE EARTH By Chuck Chase
DEQ thinks Dredgers pollute, take a hard look at the video below. The video below can be viewed by cutting and pasting on Internet Explorer. It is a documentary of the poisoning of the earth by the government injecting aluminum into jet fuel. The aluminum in the atmosphere reflects the sunlight thus protecting us from so called global warming. Have you noticed the con trails of jets that don’t go away, have you noticed the hazy skies that just seem to stay there. We are luckier here in NE Oregon we are not in a fly way. The fall out from the aluminum is poisoning the earth and water killing bugs that feed fish, poisoning the earth stunting the growth of grass and trees.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtlOXhSnNw8
