EASTERN OREGON
MINING ASSOCIATION
JUNE 2019
Volume 357
EASTERN OREGON MINING ASSOCIATION MEETING
Meetings are held on the first Friday of the month. The next meeting is Friday, JUNE 7th, 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-FOREST SERVICE AND BLM’S MISSIONS
The mission of the USDA Forest Service, according to their website, is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the Nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations. There is nothing there that pertains to minerals. If it wasn’t for the National Mining and Minerals Policy Act of 1970, which was passed by Congress to address the lack of a coordinated and comprehensive federal minerals policy, it is unlikely the Forest Service would entertain any mining at all.
In contrast, according to BLM’s website, the stated mission of BLM is to manage public lands for a variety of uses. “This multiple-use approach enables BLM to prioritize and advance the President’s priorities which include energy independence, shared conservation stewardship, keeping our borders safe, putting Americans back to work, and serving the American family.
BLM manages public lands to maximize opportunities for commercial, and other activities”.
EOMA would like to see the Forest Service turn minerals management over to BLM. The 43CFR3809 regulations are easy to understand and work well to get miners mining.
MSHA ANNUAL REFRESHER TRAINING JUNE 12, 2019
The final annual refresher for this year will be held in Baker City at the BLM office, 3100 H Street on Wednesday, June 12, 2019. Call Jan Alexander at 541-446-3413 to reserve a place in this class. Class starts at 8:00AM. Ed Sinner will be the instructor.
MSHA NEW MINER TRAINING JUNE 11, 12, 13 HELD AT BLM OFFICE IN BAKER
Anyone needing new miner training needs to call Jan Alexander to reserve a place in this three day class. The training will be held at the Baker BLM office at 3100 H Street. Class starts at 8:00AM. Ed Sinner will be the instructor. Call Jan Alexander at 541-446-3413 if you are interested in this training.
HARDROCK LEASING AND RECLAMATION ACT OF 2019-AEMA
The American Exploration & Mining Association (AEMA) has made the following statement in response to the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources Hearing discussing Rep. Raúl Grijalva’s (D-Ariz.) Hardrock Leasing and Reclamation Act of 2019:
“The sweeping changes in Rep. Grijalva’s legislation are unnecessary and a disaster in the making for the domestic mining industry and for America.
The fact is, hardrock mining is fundamentally different than oil, gas, and coal because it is much more difficult to find and develop hardrock mineral resources.
This bill ignores these differences and seeks to force-fit royalty and leasing programs for coal, oil, and gas on hardrock mining.
Without question, the Grijalva bill, if enacted, would substantially chill private-sector investment in exploring for and developing minerals on federal land and dramatically increase our already extensive reliance on foreign sources of minerals.
This bill poses a significant threat to our Nation’s economic security and to our defense, technology, manufacturing, infrastructure, and renewable energy sectors, all of which rely on minerals from mining.
The country will suffer as high paying family-wage jobs are exported, and our rural communities will experience disproportionately severe economic hardships”.
ACTIVITY ON CRITICAL MINERALS LEGISLATION-AEMA
Concurrent with proposals to amend the Mining Law, critical minerals legislation was recently introduced in both chambers. Rep. Mark Amodei (R-NV) reintroduced the National Strategic and Critical Minerals Production Act (H.R. 2531) in the House and Senate Committee on Energy & Natural Resources Chairwoman Lisa Murkowski reintroduced the American Mineral Security Act (S. 1317) in the Senate.
On May 14, 2019, Chairwoman Murkowski and cosponsor, Senate Committee on Energy & Natural Resources Ranking Member Joe Manchin (D-WV), held a hearing on the American Mineral Security Act (S. 1317). Also heard was Sen. Manchin's S. 1052, Rare Earth Element Advanced Coal Technologies Act. Witness testimony (including AEMA member, Lithium Americas President & COO Jonathan Evans' testimony) and there is an archived version of the hearing available. The reintroduction of critical minerals legislation highlighting the importance of minerals and metals to all aspects of our society and the need to reform a broken federal mine permitting system offers us an opportunity to frame the discussion surrounding why the currently proposed revisions to the Mining Law are not only unnecessary but harmful for our Nation.
The Hill recently featured an excellent op-ed penned by Ned Mamula, Ph.D, of the Cato Institute, providing a very strong argument to increase domestic mining and reduce America's dependence on foreign sources of critical minerals.
AEMA PARTICIPATES IN GOOD SAMARITAN DISCUSSION-AEMA
Efforts to facilitate clean-up of abandoned mines across the West continue. In April, AEMA participated in a summit in Reno, NV conducted by the Mining and Metallurgical Society of America, in conjunction with the University of Nevada, Reno, the Colorado School of Mines, and Trout Unlimited, to discuss the dire need for legislation to enhance and advance Abandoned Mine Land (AML) reclamation. Last month, AEMA and member companies also participated in a round-table meeting in Denver, CO hosted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
At the meeting, key stakeholders discussed lessons learned from previously completed projects and provided perspectives on the barriers and concerns hindering new Good Samaritan project advancement to identify potential modifications to existing EPA tools and processes that could accelerate voluntary cleanup at AML sites. In the upcoming few weeks, AEMA anticipates follow up from EPA regarding the next steps.
DECHUTES NATIONAL FOREST BEND/ FT. ROCK RANGER MUST DECIDE WHETHER TO DENY MINING -Jan Alexander
The Finley Butte crushed stone site has been in business for 26 years, but now it is running out of rock. The mining company, Vic Russell Construction Inc, which supplies rock to ODOT and other nearby government works projects, and to customers in the LaPine area, is proposing to expand the quarry onto adjacent National Forest lands where a similar rock source is available. It is an ideal location, close to LaPine, yet away from urbanized areas and other uses. If the pit closes, crushed stone will have to be obtained from the few existing Bend quarries, the nearest of which is 27 miles away. New pit locations are limited due to Dechutes County’s limited zoning for quarries.
Vic Russell Construction, Inc, will hire consultants to do the NEPA study, so there will be no cost to the Forest Service. The pit will be put up for competitive bid, and Vic Russell, President of the company, is aware that his company may not get the contract. But he believes so strongly in the necessity of providing crushed rock to the local community, that he is willing to pay all costs involved in the NEPA analysis for pit expansion into the National Forest, even if his company will not do the mining. If that happens, he stated, “I will retire knowing that crushed stone will still be supplied to the community”.
This is a win-win for the community of LaPine and for the governments, since there will be no cost to them. The timbered 20 acres where pit expansion would take place, has no roads and cannot be accessed or enjoyed by the public, so there is no public benefit there. The public will benefit from the sale of the timber, crushed stone still would be available for sale at a reasonable cost, gravel truck traffic will be minimized, the highways will be safer, and many jobs at the quarry would be saved.
EXEMPT USES OF WATER FOR MINING ORS 537.505-537.992
“No registration, certificate of registration, application for a permit, certification of completion or groundwater right certificate is required for the use of groundwater for (F) any single industrial or commercial purpose in an amount not exceeding 5,000 gallons a day”.
Miners using wells, off-channel ponds and spring ponds that do not run off in a defined channel for mining process water, are authorized under Oregon law to use 5,000 gallons per day for mining or for watering roads or other mining uses. Some streams have mining water rights available, but you must check with the Oregon Water Resources site to find this out. You can also call your county water master. Water rights really benefit an operation, but unfortunately, most streams and rivers in Oregon are pretty much closed to new water rights. One exception is the Burnt River where the Burnt River Irrigation District can sell Unity Reservoir storage water to miners.
INSTREAM WORK WINDOWS-ODF
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife has established safe periods when instream work, such as the construction of fords or suction dredge mining, can take place. During these “windows” there are no fish spawning and no eggs are in the stream gravels. Below are the windows for Baker County.
RB is red band trout, BT is brook trout, BUT is bull trout.
Snake River Reservoir Tributaries July 1 - October 31 (RB*)
Burnt River July 1 - October 31 (RB,BT*)
Pine Creek July 1 – August 31 (RB,BUT *)
Powder River (mouth to Phillips Reservoir) July 1 - October 31 (RB*)
Anthony Creek July 1 – August 31 (RB,BUT*)
North Powder R. (above Dutch Flat Cr.) July 1 – August 31 (RB,BUT*)
Wolf Creek (above Wolf Creek Res.) July 1 – August 31 (RB,BUT*)
Big Muddy Creek (above Foothill Rd.) July 1 – August 31 (RB,BUT*)
Pine Creek (above North Fork Pine Cr.) July 1 – August 31 (RB,BUT*)
Salmon Creek (above Pocahontas Road) July 1 – August 31 (RB,BUT*)
Powder River (above Phillips Reservoir) July 1 – August 31 (RB,BUT*)
Deer Creek (above Phillips Reservoir) July 1 – August 31 (RB,BUT*)
BLM FEES HAVE GONE UP
Don’t forget, the fee for each claim when you file your assessment work is now $15. Quit claim deeds have also gone up, and the fee is $15 from each purchaser for each claim.
Also, BLM is checking to see that there is one locator for each 20 acres in association placer claims. If two miners hold 60 acres, due to a death of one of the locators, these two miners must file an amended location (also $15) for a 40 acre claim, and file a new 20 acre claim if they wish to hold all 60 acres. If reserves have been verified, a geologist can provide this information to BLM and the full 60 acres can be maintained by two locators.
2018 EOMA SILVER MEDALLIONS FOR SALE
EOMA will not be minting 2019 medallions. 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
FOR SALE: BURNT BRIDGE CLAIM
This 20 Acre claim is located on the North Fork of the Burnt River in the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest. Burnt River Road runs parallel to the river from one end of the claim to the other offering excellent access to the river and campsite. Claim contains over ¼ mile of river open to dredging. Copies of approved 2017 DEQ permit 600 PM and 2017 DEQ 700 PM (4” suction dredge) available. This claim is for sale for $2500. Contact Joe Toce email: toceja@hotmail.com
EQUIPMENT FOR SALE-
20TPD FREE GOLD-Sulfide, semi-portable mill in NE Oregon. 9”x36” jaw, secondary crusher, 7’x36” ballmill, 9 flotcells, gravity circuit, jig-table, +pumps, filters, tanks, bins, building, assay-smelter lab. Everything included for full milling operation. For more information, call Kay Lyons at 503-349-1908 or Thom Seal at 510-418-5779
tseal@unr.edu
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 at 541-519-9497 or Chuck 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 2019 work. Call Charles Stewart at 541-910-5435 for more information.
MINING EQUIPMENT FOR SALE
One trommel 6ft long and 2ft across in a frame, 2 sluice boxes 7ft long, 1ft wide and 7 inches tall, 5 sets of riffles 3 3ft and 2 2ft, a 10 1/2 HP Briggs and Stratton Motor, a hopper box, a metal standing platform diamond cut and some other items for the trommel. It just needs to be put together, but is pretty much complete. Also, a boat trailer to mount it on.
Also for sale, a rock classifying screen with 1/4 in square holes in a frame with bearings on both ends. It is 5 ft 4 inches long and 18 inches across. It just needs a motor. I have a hopper box for it. Also, two good truck bed trailers and a pop up tent trailer. Make me an offer.
I also have a 1965 Aloha trailer for sale-$500.00 or best offer. Call Kenneth Brasel 541-519-3305
$1,500 · ELECTRIC T-60 TILT VCELLA KILN
The Vcella T-60 is the older version of the TL60. Completely rebuilt, new brick, new coils, new graphite crucible. The newer version of it is the TL-60 advertised in the ICMJ. It will smelt up to several hundred pounds of brass, copper, silver and Gold. Call (541-310-8510)
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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