0 ,.- 1 MINING AND MINERALS IN IDAHO, 1992 PRELIMINARY DRAFT Version 3/10/93 For internal use by the U.S. Bureau of Mines, Idaho Mining Association, Idaho Congressional Delegation, and Idaho Geological Survey only! This report contains preliminary data that has not been thoroughly checked with company sources. For more information contact: Earl H. Bennett, State Geologist, Idaho Geological Survey, Morrill Hall, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83843, phone (208) 885· . , 7991; or Virginia Gillerman, Economic Geologist, Idaho Geological Survey, Lincoln Hall, Boise State University, Boise, ID 83725, phone (208) 385-4002. PLEASE DO NOT COPY OR DISTRIBUTE THIS DOCUMENT Idaho Geological Survey Preliminary Draft University of Idaho Information Circular Moscow, ID 83843 February, 1992 Phone (208) 885-7991 VERSION 3/10/93 r MINING AND MINERALS IN IDAHO, 1992 PRELIMINARY DRAFT Version 3/10/93 For internal use by the U.S. Bureau of Mines, rdaho Mining Association, Idaho Congressional Delegation, and Idaho Geological Survey only! This report contains preliminary data that has not been thoroughly checked with company sources. For more information contact: Earl H. Bennett, State Geologist, Idaho Geological Surv�y, Morrill Hafl, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83843, phone {208) 885- 7991; or Virginia Gillerman, Economic Geologist, Idaho Geological Survey, l Lincoln Hall, Boise State University, Boise, ID 83725, phone (208) 385-4002. PLEASE DO NOT COPY OR DISTRIBUTE THIS DOCUMENT Idaho Geological Survey Preliminary Draft University of Idaho Information Circular Moscow, ID 83843 February, 1992 ·� Phone (208) 885-7991 t VERSION 3/10/93 L L r r CONTENTS PAGE f INTRODUCTION ................................... ......... s International Mineral Economics . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 5 Idaho Mineral Economics . 10 ACTIVE MINES AND PROCESSING PLANTS .. .. .. .. .. 16 I Coeur d'Alene Mining District (Figures 2 and 3) . .. .. 16 Introduction .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 16 I Asarco, Inc. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 17 Bunker Hill Mine. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 17 Coeur d'Alene Mines Corporation .. .. .. .. .. .. 18 J Hecla Mining Company .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 19 Sunshine Precious Metals, Inc. .. .. .. .. .. .. 20 Other Coeur d'Alene Mines ........................... 21 Other Producing Metal Mines (Figure 2) . .. .. .. .. .. .. 22 Cyprus Minerals Company ............................ 22 NERCO Minerals Company ........................... 23 Stibnite Mines Inc., (MinVen Gold Corporation) .. .. .. 24 Hecla Mining Company .............................. 25 Pegasus Gold Corporation . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 25 ' Idaho Gold Corporation . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 26 U.S. Antimony Corporation . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 26 Other Small Mining Operations . .. .. .. .. .. .. 27 Placer Mines . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 27 Phosphate Mines and Plants (Figures 2 and 4) . .. .. .. .. .. 28 \ 1 Introduction . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 28 FMC Corporation ................................... 29 Monsanto Chemical Company ......................... 31 l \ Kerr-McGee Corporation . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 32 Nu-West Industries, Inc. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 32 J.R. Simplot Company ............................... 33 Rhone-Poulenc Basic Chemicals Company ............... 34 Other Phosphate News . 34 2 L CONTENTS PAGE Industrial Minerals ................................. 35 Limestone . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 35 Silica . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 38 Diatomlte . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 38 Perlite ........ ................. .. ............... ... 38 Pumice ... ................ ................. .......... 39 Garnet ...... ........................................ 39 Clay ................... ......................... .. 40 Scoria .............................................. 40 Stone ............................................... 40 Gemstones ................................ ........... 41 Aluminum Recycling Plant ............................... 41 Zeolites ............. ............. ....... ............ 42 EXPLORATION (Figure 6) ................................. 42 Introduction . 42 Coeur d'Alene District .................................. 44 Other North Idaho . 44 Salmon Area . 45 . 47 West-Central Idaho . East-Central Idaho . 50 South-Central Idaho .................................... 51 Boise Basin . .. .. .. .. .. .. 53 Southeast Idaho ...................................... 54 Southwest Idaho ........ ....... ..................... 55 OTHER MINING RELATED NEWS ............................... 56 Bunker Hill Superfund site and Lake Coeur d'Alene . 56 Other News .......................................... 60 INDEX TO COMPANIES ACTIVE IN IDAHO IN 1992 ................ 66 3 r· I' PAGE _____ _ r LIST OF TABLES__ __________ Table 1. Value of non-fuel mineral production in Idaho: 1987-1992 . 11 r (Preliminary) . .. 2. 1990-1992 ........... 12 ' \ Table Non-fuel mineral production in Idaho: I . (preliminary). Data provided by the U.S Bureau of Mines. ___ LIST OF FIGURES.___ ___________ _ 6 ·1 Figure 1. Location of selected cities and towns in Idaho . Figure 2. Major active mines (•),processing plants (o),and mines under ( development (x) in Idaho,1992 ..................... 15 3. 1992 . 16 l Figure Coeur d'Alene Mining District, Idaho, Figure 4. Phosphate mines and plants in Idaho, 1992 . .. 30 I Figure 5. lndustriaf mineral mines,plants, and exploration projects in Idaho, 1992 ................................... 36 \ Figure 6. Exploration projects in Idaho, 1992 . 43 l l l \ I L 4 L , f"\ I I r MINING AND MINERALS IN IDAHO. 1992 ( - I INTRODUCTION l The purpose of this paper is to summarize and describe all mining and mineral related I activity in Idaho for 1992. Sources used to compile this document include U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management mineral specialists in the state, the U.S. Bureau � \ of Mines, information from the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), numerous ! I company geologists and spokespersons, and clippings from area and trade newspapers and periodicals. This preliminary version is for the sole use of the U.S. Bureau of Mines, the Idaho Mining Association, the Idaho Geological Survey, and the state's Congressional delegation. Locations of selected cities and towns referenced in this report are shown in Figure 1. f International Mineral Economics The year 1992, featuring many incredible economic events which just a few years ago l would have driven metal markets into wild gyrations. In April, riots were touched off in Los Angeles when a jury found four police officers innocent of brutally beating a black I man, Rodney King, although the incident was captured on video tape. The United States began to pull out of the worldwide recession in the second half of the year but recovery was slow. The national debt reached an astounding $4 trillion. President George Bush, l unbeatable in the polls six months before the election, was beaten by President-elect Bill Clinton. The capture of the presidency and the election of an overwhelming Democratic majority in both houses of Congress was interpreted as inflationary by the rest of the [ world, but even this had little effect on metal markets. In June, the Dow Jones Industrial Average went over 3,400 for the first time in history. The Nikkei 225 stock average, the Japanese equivalent of the DOW, went south losing 8,000 points. The incredible l Japanese economy faltered, as real estate prices crashed, banks lost billions of yen, and the vaulted Japanese industry tightened its belt by many notches. The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) between Mexico, Canada, and the United States was \ l signed in August High interest rates in Germany caused chaos on European money markets in September. l Germany is keeping rates on the mark high to attract investment for rebuilding east Germany and to discourage inflation, which is greatly feared. Traders began playing off currencies against each other with the result that England and Italy abandoned the 1 ' European Exchange Rate system which controls currencies under the European Monetary System. France was under attack by currency traders but the Franc survived after massive intervention by the French and German central banks. Sweden protected L the Krona by offering an incredible 500% interest rate for a short while and Spain discounted the Peseta by 5%. The currencies of Portugal, Denmark, and Ireland were l_ also under attack. In November, Sweden, Norway, and Finland decided to abandon the 5 L L Sand­ po inl • � 0 so I I l I I I n i l es Dubois • Idaho • f'\ad"(.a� Cil!:I • •Allanl:.a • Boise •Hal l e!:I Home •Malad •Oakley Figure 1. Location of selected cities and towns in Idaho 6 r­ r ECU and let their money float. The Wall Street Journal (10/01/92) estimates that European central banks lost $4 to $6 billion attempting to prop up weak currencies. r On another European matter, the U.S. threatened a 200% tariff on French wines and other European commodities, if France did not resolve a dispute over farm subsidies. War in former Yugoslavia between Slovenia and Croatia threatened to spill over to other r countries and the United Nations looked hard at intervention. The U.S. sent 35,000 marines on a mission of mercy to feed thousands of starving people in Somalia where f� famine runs rampant. We signed a treaty with Russia to slash the number of nuclear warheads on both sides. Finally, IBM, the venerated bastion of capitalistic stability, announced its first layoffs in 50 years in December. The effect of any or all of these amazing