All Articles
Legislative and Regulatory Update
April 2020 by Scott Harn
• Washington State copies California’s wayward regulations
On March 9, the Washington State legislature sent a bill to Gov. Inslee’s desk that will prohibit all forms of motorized mining in streams where Endangered Species Act listed fish are present. The governor is expected to sign the measure.
House Bill 1261 passed 60-35, while companion bill SB 5322 passed in the Senate 37-10, with votes passed along party lines; Democrats were in favor, while Republicans were against it.
The bill would make all motorized prospecting and mining illegal in ESA-designated waterways. Uneducated legislators swayed by extreme environmental groups continue to ignore the benefits provided by suction gold dredgers.
The evidence is clear that dredge miners remove heavy metals like mercury and lead and create desired thermal refugia as they clean our waterways. Dredging “seasons” were already in place so that dredging operations did not interfere with spawning seasons.
Bills like these passed in Washington State are the reason why we continue to focus our efforts on changes at the federal level. Utilizing federal preemption on federal mining claims, we believe these types of frivolous regulations can be overcome, and we continue to advocate for changes at the federal level during our trips to Washington, DC with Public Lands for the People. (You can read more about our efforts in the “PLP Update” column.)
Putting Together A Small Free Gold Mill
Most small-scale miners want to know how they can set up a system much more cheaply. The difficulty is in the balance of putting together a decent small-scale system at a reasonable cost.
Company Notes
• Sterling Mining Company
• Pan American Silver Corp.
• Vista Gold Corp.
• Fronteer Development Group
• US Gold Corp.
• NovaGold Resources
Surviving The Boom and Bust Cycle
Back when I was in college, when I first started classes, the demand for new engineers was so strong that every graduate had multiple job offers without even trying.
Mining Battle Case Under Advisement
Two weeks of sometimes-heated testimony have ended in a case that pits Cyprus Amax Minerals against opponents who want to prevent the company from mining ore from a central Colorado mountain.
China Closing More Than 1,000 Mines
It was only a few years ago that China was taxing and limiting quantities of exports for rare earths in an effort squeeze the market, drive up prices and extract the most in the way of income.
Gold Prospecting for Better or Worse: Cold Gold
Because waiting for spring seemed to be taking forever, my 15-year-old granddaughter Grace and I decided to pan for gold sooner. The thought was…even if we did not find any gold, we would set a new record for absurdity—gold panning in the coldest weather!
Subscription Required:
The Bawl Mill
• Sampling for Success—Part II
• Ask The Experts - Investing: How do you know which companies have potential?
• Miners Fight Back When BLM Says 'Your Claim Is Too Long'
• It's Another 'Ben Day'
• How to Research Prospecting Locations and Mining Claims
• Some Tips and Tricks for Dredgers: Determining Pulley Size and Belt Length
• Where Will The Gold Price Go From Here?
• Holcomb Valley Gold, Southern California
• Gold Prospecting for Better or Worse: The Good Luck and Bad Luck of Prospecting With Animals
• Lode Miner Continues to Find Pocket Gold
• Judge Backs Minnesota's Twin Metals Mine in Lease Dispute
• Over the Divide: Rick Lague
• Melman on Gold & Silver
• Mining Stock Quotes and Mineral & Metal Prices
