Environmental Group Says Gold Mine "threatens" Boise River

Environmental group says gold mine "threatens" Boise River

KTVB - Thursday

20th April 2006

http://www.ktvb.com/news/localnews/stories/ktvbn-apr1906-endangered_river.5046bda8.html

BOISE -- The Boise River is also making news today for more than flooding, the river made a conservation group's new top 10 list for most endangered rivers.

An environmental group has put the Boise River on its ten most endangered rivers list.

American Rivers says a proposed gold mine in Atlanta, and the process of using potentially deadly cyanide, threatens the Boise River.

The ranking does not mean that we have one of the most polluted or dirty rivers in the country, it just means the waterway is threatened.

A mining company wants to use a cyanide heap leach process to remove gold from the ore, a concept that conservation groups strongly oppose.

"We're very concerned here not only because of the massive amounts of cyanide and diesel fuel and other toxic chemicals that are going to be stockpiled in the headwaters, but we're also concerned about the transportation route there," said John Robison, Idaho Conservation League.

But managers with Atlanta Gold Corp. say their fears are unfounded.

There are two issues at stake.

First the actual transportation of cyanide, and secondly its actual use.

Gold mine officials say they will transport the chemical in sealed ocean shipping containers with pilot cars, and would never travel in winter. And as for the use of cyanide.

"Allowing any pollution to get into the Middle Fork of the Boise River doesn't meet any standards, we know that, the agencies know that, and we're not proposing to build anything that would create pollution in the middle fork," said Bruce Thorndycraft, General Manager, Atlanta Gold Corp.

The Atlanta Gold Mine Corp. still needs to have about 10 permits in place before they can begin mining operations in 2007.