EASTERN OREGON
MINING ASSOCIATION
OCTOBER 2019
Volume 361
EASTERN OREGON MINING ASSOCIATION MEETING
Meetings are held on the first Friday of the month. The next meeting is Friday, OCTOBER 4TH at the Baker City Hall. The building is located at 1st and Auburn Streets in Baker City. The Board meeting starts at 6:00 PM. The general meeting starts at 6:30 PM. As usual there will be a drawing for a $50 silver medallion at the meeting!
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
I got to thinking about what a miner needs to mine-(1) gold or another precious mineral, in a quantity sufficient to support the operation and give the miner a profit (2) possession of the property (either private land or a mining claim that gives you private property ownership of the mineral estate) (3) water that can be legally used for processing (4) all permits in place.
Miners can test using hand tools, but in order to test a property at depth, mechanized equipment is needed. It is totally ridiculous that on the Forest, a miner must apply for all permits and obtain an approved Plan of Operation to even conduct exploration. These miners wait years upon years to get approval to test their claims to find out if there is an economic deposit. If they want to amend their plan for mining, more years of analysis will be needed.
Miners on BLM have far more options. They can file an exploration notice, post a bond, and within 30-45 days be exploring using mechanized equipment. If an economic deposit is located, a Plan of Operation for mining can be submitted. This will usually be approved within 12-18 months, unlike 10 years or longer on the Forest.
So, if you are stuck with mining claims on the Forest, and want to explore/mine, submit an operating plan that covers every minable acre you own. Propose mining in small parcels so your bond will be low, but do not limit the area you want to work in. It will save you a lot of headaches down the road!
INVITATION TO JOIN EASTERN OREGON MINING ASSOCIATION (EOMA)
New membership drive. The Board voted on September 6, 2019 that every current EOMA member who signs up a new member will have his or her name entered into a drawing for a silver medallion. If you sign up more than one new member, you will have additional chances to win. Be sure to have the new member name the person who convinced him to join.
Let everyone know what we do. The Eastern Oregon Mining Association (EOMA) has members throughout Oregon, but also from all the western States, as well as a few from back east. Our membership is primarily made up of small mine operators, prospectors, and many others interested in mining, minerals, environment and the outdoors. We are an educational 501(c)(6) non-profit organization. We sponsor the Oregon State Panning Championships at Miners Jubilee in Baker City, put on seminars on geology, ore deposits, rare earth minerals, and geophysics. We are able to work one on one with miners, and have expertise to help them with problems associated with government agencies. Our goal is to get our miners mining. We put out a monthly newsletter and meetings are scheduled once a month in Baker City on the first Friday of the month. Paying your dues now pays for next year’s membership.
New members can join on line, or send $35 for an individual, $40 for a couple to EOMA, P.O. Box 932, Baker City, OR 97814. They need to include their name, address and phone number. Call President Ken Alexander at 541-446-3413 if you have questions.
BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE-A FREE SUBSCRIPTION TO ICMJ MINING JOURNAL FOR NEW MEMBERS!
As an incentive to join EOMA, and experience the benefits we can offer miners, we are offering a free one-year subscription to ICMJ to each new member. If these new members are already getting ICMJ, EOMA will pay to extend the subscription for a year!
EAST EAGLE CREEK BRIDGE UPDATE-Bill Harvey
Baker County has provided engineered bridge designs to the Forest Service as a gesture of good will. The bridge and road are county property, but they have agreed to work with the Forest Service because the surrounding area is National Forest.
The Forest Service has until September 27, 2019, to respond with their concurrence on the project. The creek is dry now, and this is the perfect time to install the bridge. Much of the work will be done by volunteers, but there will still be expenditures by the County. The EOMA Board voted to send the County part of the proceeds from the Jubilee Silent Auction to help cover the costs involved with this project.
MINING IS AN IMPORTANT INDUSTRY IN OREGON from Baker County Economic Analysis for Bull Trout
Commercial mining operations in Baker County, and commercial mining operations in Grant and Malheur Counties, at mines where Baker County residents are employed, provide a significant economic value for the county. Mining operations range from small scale dredging and high banking operations, to large scale placer and lode operations where heavy machinery is used in mining, and processing and milling equipment is used to concentrate and recover the minerals.
These minerals may be gold, and other precious metals, or the target may be other mineral resources. Ashgrove Cement mines limestone and makes cement, and they are the largest non-government employer in Baker County. Smaller quantities of building stone, decorative rock and perlite are also mined in Baker County, and mining, haul and sales of these materials also contribute to the economy. Taken as a whole, all this mining provides significant economic value for Baker and the surrounding counties.
WOTUS-FINALLY FINISHED-Greg Walden
Congressman Greg Walden (OR-02): "Farmers and ranchers across Oregon have expressed their concerns with the overreaching Obama-era definition of Waters of the United States (WOTUS). They worried that the intermittent stream or irrigation ditch would be subject to burdensome new federal regulation. The EPA’s release of the final rule, which abolishes the Obama-era rule, is welcome news across rural Oregon”.
“I applaud President Trump and his administration for listening to our farmers and ranchers and acting to repeal the flawed original rule and appropriately redefine Waters of the United States."
SUMPTER VALLEY DREDGE TAILINGS MINING PROJECT- Baker County NRAC
The Sumpter Valley dredge tailings project on private land near Sumpter fell through. An agreement could not be reached with the landowner. Because of this, Baker County will now begin the process of allowing mining on the 25 acres of County land across the highway from the private parcel. Gravel will be provided to Baker County by the mining company. The exploration pit will be approximately ten acres. If successful, additional County land will be opened to mining.
The reclamation plan for this area is designed to stockpile the topsoil the dredge left on the bottom, and following mining, refill a portion of the mined area with rock to normal land contours, and place the topsoil over the surface. The area will be seeded and a pond will be left in place. This will be a win-win for both mining and recreation in Baker County.
EOMA SILVER MEDALLIONS FOR SALE
As most of you know, EOMA will not be minting 2019 medallions, but we still have 2018 medallions available, as well as some medallions from previous years. They are currently selling for $50.00 apiece plus $5.00 shipping, handling, and insurance. (Prices are subject to change).
You can order yours from the EOMA website and pay by pay-pal. Or, you can send $50 plus $5.00 shipping and handling to EOMA, Medallions, PO Box 932, Baker City, OR 97814, or call 541-523-3285. Also, you can buy them at our EOMA meetings.
EOMA ADVERTISING AND SALE LISTINGS
WANTED!!
Gold Specimens and Gold nuggets mostly from Oregon mines. Fair prices paid. Also selling Gold nugget jewelry, specimens, nuggets and more. For an interesting and informative experience explore www.northernnevadagold.com. Call Robert 775-455-6470.
FOR SALE
Ed Hardt is selling his placer mining equipment. Ed's trommel is 20 feet long, 5 feet in diameter, gear driven, positive drive. It will process up to 100 yards a day, will not slip or spin out. Also, one three-inch pump, a two-inch pump, two and three inch flat hose, and a generator. Call 541-377-9209 or email Ed at twohardts@hotmail.com. Price for all is $15,000.
GOLD CLAIMS FOR SALE (3)
5 unpatented placer claims (160 acres) located on Elk Creek near Baker City.
Sale includes all equipment (2 excavators, dump truck, trommel, pumps, generators, etc).
Site was featured on the cover of ICMJ’s Prospecting and Mining Journal (August 2014).
Approved Plan of Operation with US Forest Service in place and can be transferred (expires 2021)
DEQ process permit goes with the sale of the claims. For price, pictures and details, call Don Enright, 509-860-1145 or email: donaldenright25@gmail.com
FOR SALE TWO 80 ACRE ASSOCIATION PLACER CLAIMS (5)
Because of health reasons, we are selling our two 80 acre Association Placer Claims. These two claims are the last two claims on the top end of Elk Creek, a short distance from Baker City. A road goes through most of it. Sell for $7,000 each, will take gold, silver or will sell for a lesser price for cash. Call Ken Anderson at 541-519-9497 or Chuck Chase at 541-310-8510.
NATIVE SPIRIT 60 ACRE CLAIM FOR SALE
This claim is located on McCully Creek on the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest just west of the town of Sumpter. Good access, off-channel water is available for processing. DEQ process permit goes with the sale of the claim. Plan of Operation is scheduled to be approved for 2020 work. Call Charles Stewart at 541-910-5435 for more information.
BLUE SKY PLACER MINE $7,500
Three mining claims, two on Bull Run Creek, and one on Swamp Creek, a tributary of Bull Run Creek. The mine has a Plan of Operation and is set up for a trommel and backhoe operation. Can assume the plan and the $1,400 Bond. Six off channel ponds. Number six pond is the fresh water pond and number five you can discharge into. Can pan gold out of the tailings. Quite a bit of testing done and assay work; has all of the 17 Rare Earth Minerals. Call (541-310-8510)
SUE PLACER FOR SALE-$12,000
The Sue is located on the North Fork Burnt River, which is open for suction dredging, and is accessed by a good county road. The North Fork has a long dredging season-July 1-October 31 each year. I am selling the 20-acre Sue claim, along with two dredges (a 4” and a 6”), two trailers for them and accessories, two wet suits with weight belts, one repair kit and a few other items. There is also an approved Plan of Operation with the Forest Service for using a trommel and mechanized equipment beside the river.
The equipment alone is worth over what you will be paying for the total package, it's like getting the claim for free. For information call Stan Baker 541-938-8353 HM
509-386-7465 CELL swbrockett@msn.com.
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Remember too, new members joining EOMA (see page 2) will receive a free one year subscription to ICMJ. EOMA members who give gift memberships to EOMA will be put in a drawing for a silver medallion as well as the new member receiving a subscription to ICMJ.
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