Idaho Environmental Forum #176

7th Annual Boise River Conference

Co-Sponsored by
GeoEngineers,
Idaho Rivers United,
and Idaho Section of the American Water Resources Association

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Program Description:

CuMo, Thinking Ahead to Buildout The site of a copper and molybdenum mine proposed for the headwaters of Grimes Creek has been evaluated off and on since 1963 and with demand and prices up, interest has increased to the point of additional sampling of the ore through drilling. The mining project is called CuMo by the current owners of the mineral claims, Mosquito Consolidated Gold Mines Limited, because of the copper (Cu on the periodic table) and molybdenum (Mo) deposits at the site, which also contain large amounts of silver and tungsten.

The CuMo deposits are large; Mosquito estimates the site holds 544,000 metric tons of open-pit accessible molybdenum. For comparison, the USGS Minerals Resource Program estimates there are 2.7 million metric tons of molybdenum reserves (defined as deposits that that could be economically extracted) in the United States. The Thompson Mine in Idaho is one of four mines in the United States in which molybdenum is the primary product. Molybdenum is a metal used in steel and other alloys because it improves to properties desirable for construction and manufacturing products that withstand high stress, large temperature ranges, and corrosive conditions and the largest exporters are China and the U.S.

This session will discuss the significance of the CuMo project to Idaho and the Boise River valley. Speakers will describe the paths the project will or may take, the regulatory steps it must take, and the role that government, at multiple levels, will play along the way.

Treasure Valley Water Future: Choices and tradeoffs

Water users of the Treasure Valley have watched the multi-decadal dispute about water rights in the Eastern Snake Plain, particularly the demand for reduced use of groundwater to satisfy senior surface-water rights. As the Treasure Valley grows, are there similar fights in our future? The Idaho Water Resources board is hoping to avoid such disputes, leading them to begin the development of a Comprehensive Aquifer Management Plan for the Treasure Valley (TVCAMP). Can the TVCAMP prevent future dissension? What will it take? This session will bring together experts on the Treasure Valley Aquifer and representatives of users with concerns to propose solutions to growth in the Valley.

Agenda