EASTERN OREGON
MINING ASSOCIATION
APRIL 2025
VOLUME 427
President……………………………………..Ken Alexander…….alxk@ortelco.net ……541-446-3413
Vice-President……………………………..Dan Johnson……………………………………..1-503-510-3281
Director of Governmental Affairs……….Terry Drever Gee……………………… 541-523-6228
Editor…………………………….. Jan Alexander………. alx@ortelco.net….541-446-3413
Mineral Policy Director……………….Jan Alexander………. alx@ortelco.net….541-446-3413
IF YOUR MAILING LABEL STILL SAYS 1/1/2025
THIS MEANS OUR RECORDS SHOW YOU HAVE NOT PAID YOUR DUES THIS YEAR
You can send your dues to: EOMA, PO Box 932, Baker City, OR 97814. Or you can pay at the meeting. You can also sign up and pay with a credit card on our website: EOMA.US
We are optimistic about this coming mining season with $3,000 an ounce gold to be found.
APRIL 4th, 2025 MEETING AT ELK CREEK ENTERPRISES
The EOMA monthly meeting is at the Elk Creek Enterprises building located at 890 Elm Street in Baker City. The Executive Board Meeting starts at 6:00 PM and the General Meeting follows at 6:30 PM. As usual, someone will be winning a 1 oz. silver medallion at the end of the meeting.
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
President Donald J. Trump has signed an Executive Order to boost American mineral production, streamline permitting, and enhance national security. Executive orders are binding on government agencies such as Forest Service and BLM, as long as the orders do not violate existing laws. The Order lifts government rules and regulations responsible for “undue burdens” on mining and mineral processing, calls for updating the U.S. Geological Survey’s list of minerals deemed critical to the nation and backs efforts to find and mine new sources of those minerals.
So many Plans of Operation on the Wallowa-Whitman N.F. have been gathering dust on some shelf. Miners such as Ken Anderson and Ed Hardt have been waiting well over 20 years to have their Plans approved. Others may not have waited as long as Ken and Ed, but remember, the Forest Service regulations state that when a proposed plan of operation is submitted to the District Ranger, he shall, within thirty days of such receipt, analyze the proposal. The ranger can reply that he needs more time, not to exceed an additional sixty days, to complete that review. But, that’s it-no more than 90 days. It is time to get your plans approved.
ANNUAL REFRESHER MINE SAFETY TRAINING APRIL 29, 2025-Jan Alexander
Trent Hahn is our MSHA instructor. Classes will cost $60 per day of instruction. Classes will be held at the Elk Creek Enterprises saw shop located at 890 Elm Street in Baker City. We begin at 8:00AM and are in class until about 4:00PM. Please call Jan Alexander at 541-446-3413 if you plan to attend this training session.
URGENT CALL TO RESCIND THE 2005 TRAVEL MANAGEMENT RULE (TMR) AND PRIORITIZE LOCAL COMMUNITIES-Don George President FAFA
Don George has written the Chief of the Forest Service, along with the Deputy Chief, about our need to maintain access in our National Forests. The following includes some excerpts from that letter.
The time has come to re-evaluate and rescind the 2005 Travel Management Rule, a policy that has failed to serve the best interests of the American people—particularly those who depend on our national forests for their livelihoods, subsistence, recreation, and cultural heritage. The Forest Service’s mission is to care for the land and serve people, yet this rule has placed unnecessary restrictions on access and economic opportunities, undermining the vitality of rural communities and failing to promote active, sustainable forest management.
New leadership within the Forest Service presents an opportunity to set a different course—one that values local input, open access, and the economic well-being of those who depend on these lands. As Chief Schultz has emphasized, leadership means listening, fostering respectful dialogue, and empowering those on the ground to make decisions that align with the broader goals of the agency, while meeting the needs of the local communities. The Forest Service was built on a foundation of decentralized decision-making, and it must return to that principle by trusting the expertise of local communities to actively participate in the management of our public lands.
The economic backbone of many rural communities relies on multiple-use access to our public lands. From responsible timber harvesting to outdoor recreation, these opportunities must not be arbitrarily limited by outdated policies. Our national forests must be managed to ensure they remain assets to local economies rather than barriers to prosperity. Chief Schultz has been clear that stewardship requires a balanced approach—one that considers not only the health of the land but also the well-being of those who depend on it; the current direction of the forest plan does not do that.
Because of the TMR, more than 95% of the forest will be closed to motorized use under the revised Forest Plan. These excessive restrictions will drastically limit access for responsible recreation, forest management, and economic activities that sustain local communities.
We urge you to take immediate action to rescind the 2005 Travel Management Rule and replace it with policies that recognize the importance of active forest management, local decision-making, and responsible access. The future of our forests—and the communities that rely on them—depends on a bold shift away from restrictive, top-down regulations and toward a collaborative approach that values both conservation and economic vitality.
IMMEDIATE MEASURES TO INCREASE AMERICAN MINERALS-Pres Donald J Trump
Executive Orders, March 20, 2025
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including section 301 of title 3, United States Code, it is hereby ordered:
Section 1. Purpose. The United States possesses vast mineral resources that can create jobs, fuel prosperity, and significantly reduce our reliance on foreign nations. Transportation, infrastructure, defense capabilities, and the next generation of technology rely upon a secure, predictable, and affordable supply of minerals. The United States was once the world’s largest producer of lucrative minerals, but overbearing Federal regulation has eroded our Nation’s mineral production. Our national and economic security are now acutely threatened by our reliance upon hostile foreign powers’ mineral production. It is imperative for our national security that the United States take immediate action to facilitate domestic mineral production to the maximum possible extent.
Sec. 2. Definitions. Of the terms, “Mineral”, “Mineral production” “processed minerals” and “derivative products”.
Sec. 3. Priority Projects. (a) Within 10 days of the date of this order, the head of each executive department and agency (agency) involved in the permitting of mineral production in the United States shall provide to the Chair of the NEDC a list of all mineral production projects for which a plan of operations, a permit application, or other application for approval has been submitted to such agency. Within 10 days of the submission of such lists, the head of each such agency shall, in coordination with the Chair of the NEDC, identify priority projects that can be immediately approved or for which permits can be immediately issued, and take all necessary or appropriate actions within the agency’s authority to expedite and issue the relevant permits or approvals.
(b) Within 15 days of the date of this order, the Chair of the NEDC, in consultation with the heads of relevant agencies, shall submit to the Executive Director of the Permitting Council mineral production projects to be considered as transparency projects on the Permitting Dashboard established under section 41003 of title 41 of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act, Public Law 114-94, 129 Stat. 1748. Within 15 days of receiving the submission, the Executive Director shall publish any projects selected and establish schedules for expedited review.
(c) The Chair of the NEDC, in consultation with relevant agencies, shall issue a request for information to solicit industry feedback on regulatory bottlenecks and other recommended strategies for expediting domestic mineral production.
IMMEDIATE MEASURES TO INCREASE AMERICAN MINERALS-Pres Donald J Trump
Within 30 days of the date of this order, the Chair of the NEDC and the Director of the Office of Legislative Affairs shall jointly prepare and submit recommendations to the President for the Congress to clarify the treatment of waste rock, tailings, and mine waste disposal under the Mining Act of 1872.
Sec. 5. Land Use for Mineral Projects. (a) Within 10 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of the Interior shall identify and provide the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy and the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs with a list of all Federal lands known to hold mineral deposits and reserves. The Secretary of the Interior shall prioritize mineral production and mining related purposes as the primary land uses in these areas, consistent with applicable law. Land use plans under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act shall provide for mineral production and ancillary uses, and be amended or revised as necessary, to support the intent of this order.
(b) Within 30 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of Agriculture, and the Secretary of Energy shall identify as many sites as possible on Federal land managed by their respective agencies that may be suitable for leasing or development pursuant to 10 U.S.C. 2667, 42 U.S.C. 7256, or other applicable authorities, for the construction and operation of private commercial mineral production enterprises and provide such list to the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, and the Chair of the NEDC. The Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of Agriculture, and the Secretary of Energy shall prioritize including sites on such lists on which mineral production projects could be fully permitted and operational as soon as possible and have the greatest potential effect on robustness of the domestic mineral supply chain.
TRUMP’S EXECUTIVE ORDER ALSO PRIORITIZED ISSUING OF LEASES, AND STRATEGIC MINERALS PRODUCTION
(c) The Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Energy shall enter into extended use leases as authorized by 10 U.S.C. 2667 or by 42 U.S.C. 7256(a) respectively, or using any other authority they deem appropriate, with private entities to advance the installation of commercial mineral production enterprises on the lands identified pursuant to subsection (b) of this section. The installation of such commercial mineral production enterprises may be accomplished through development and construction or via modification of existing structures to be compatible with commercial requirements.
This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
NEW REPORT FINDS, COMPARED WITH GLOBAL COMPETITORS, U.S. HAS ABYSMAL RECORD IN PROCESS TO BRING MINES ON LINE- S&P Global
A new report, Mine Development Times: The U.S. in Perspective, released today by S&P Global found that it takes an average of 29 years to bring a mine online in the United States – longer than any other country except Zambia, which takes 34 years. [1]
“To say that the U.S. is underperforming when it comes to domestic mineral production is putting it kindly,” said Rich Nolan, president and CEO of the National Mining Association (NMA). “We have the proven reserves to be a global leader in producing the full range of minerals needed for our manufacturing and energy future, but our permitting and legal systems have imposed an unacceptable three decades – on average – of impediments to that potential. Given the urgent global mineral demand, and China’s determination to only tighten its stranglehold on mineral supply chains, we must do better.”
The report also finds that the U.S. mineral resource base is vast: The U.S. copper endowment is comparable to those of Canada and Australia combined. The United States’ endowment of lithium is more than twice that of Australia, which currently accounts for half of the world’s lithium production.
The development of a mine in the U.S. is not only long and costly, it’s unusually uncertain. While mine development times in Canada and Australia average 27 and 20 years, those mines more reliably enter production.
Compared with those peers – which have similarly high environmental, labor and safety standards – both federal and state/provincial governments have some jurisdiction over mining permits in all three countries. Canada and Australia, however, have dedicated ministerial offices for mining, while the U.S. has none.
Since 2002, the period covered by the report, only three mines have come online in the U.S. – and none are on federal lands, where most of the U.S. endowment is located.
Even if a U.S. mine receives all required permits, it is subject to higher litigation risk . Uncertainty and litigation risk are factors that may explain why exploration budgets committed by investors to Canada and Australia over the last 15 years have been 81% and 57% higher than the US.
IF IT CAN’T BE GROWN, IT HAS TO BE MINED
Mining is essential for obtaining materials that cannot be grown or created artificially, forming the foundation for practically all modern technologies and infrastructure.
BADLY NEEDED PERMITTING REFORMS-S&P Global
Given the urgent need for the U.S. to secure its supply chains, reduce its reliance on China, and respond to the pressing domestic materials needs of the energy and transportation sectors, the NMA recommends that Congress and the administration work together to:
(1) Enact permitting reform that includes limits on litigation timelines.
(2) Create a centralized U.S. government office/official to coordinate and promote the development of the nation’s mineral supply chains and advance mining research and development.
(3) Pass the Mining Clarity Act of 2024 to reaffirm decades of mining law and precedent and provide certainty for America’s mineral producers.
(4) Provide responsible interpretation of section 45X of the Inflation Reduction Act to fully incentivize development of the nation’s mineral resources.
(5) Improve access to the nation’s vast mineral resources and reject ill-advised withdrawals of important mineral deposits on selected federal lands.
(6) Implement reforms to the National Environmental Policy Act enacted through the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023.
(7) Revisit and revise the nation’s “critical minerals” list to provide consistency across agencies and better recognize the minerals essential to the nation’s manufacturing base and economic, energy and national security.
(8) Invest in and support the development of the next generation of miners beginning with passage of the Mining Schools Act of 2023.
COPPER-Mead Gruver
President Donald Trump is taking a step toward granting the U.S. mining industry’s biggest wishes by singling out one metal as a focus of his domestic minerals policy: copper. An executive order Trump signed last Tuesday calls for boosting the domestic copper industry by investigating the national security implications of imports and weighing tariffs as a response. “The United States has ample copper reserves, yet our smelting and refining capacity lags significantly behind global competitors,” the order reads.
Copper is at least as crucial as lithium and cobalt for rechargeable batteries and rare-earth elements for cellphones, LED lights and flat-screen TVs. Copper goes into the cords and transmission lines that plug gadgetry into power. “Copper is, I think, the metal that is really the most critical because it is the electricity metal,” said Debra Struhsacker, a mining industry policy consultant for the Society of Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration. “The electricity demand is, I think, going to stay. And copper is indispensable for that.”
Trump’s E.O. accurately refers to China as the world’s leading refiner of copper, however, 2/3 of U.S. imports of refined copper comes from Chile, which is the world’s leading copper producer, with lesser amounts from Canada, Mexico and Peru.
FOREST ACCESS FOR ALL
Forest Access for All (FAFA) has been working for all of us to keep our forests open. Support them if you can by attending their banquet on April 26, 2025 at the Baker Elk’s club, 1896 2nd Street in Baker. This banquet helps support the FAFA organization in keeping open motorized access on the Wallowa Whitman and Malheur National Forest and fighting to regain open access on the Umatilla National Forests. Enjoy an evening filled with delicious food, exciting auctions, and great company, all while supporting a fantastic cause! Social hour begins at 5:00 PM, dinner is from 6:00 PM-9:00 PM. Tickets are $40 for either chicken or Tri-Tip.
Tickets can be purchased from Tork Ballard 541-523-4209; Billie Jo George 541-448-2538; or Don George 541-962-5065. Or visit FAFA at www.forestaccessforall.org
EOMA ADVERTISING AND SALE LISTINGS
WANTED-GOLD
Gold Specimens and Gold nuggets, mostly from Oregon mines. Fair prices paid. Also selling Gold nugget jewelry, specimens, nuggets and more. For an interesting and informative experience explore www.northernnevadagold.com . Call Robert 775-455-6470
MINING EQUIPMENT FOR SALE
Equipment located in Baker City:
Small trommel, feeder/grizzly, infeed conveyor, Honda pump, 20KW generator, 3” flat hose, sluice
Commercial Sized trommel, feeder, stacker, pump (has cracked housing) sluice
Also, scraper, Conex boxes, clean-up table, road runner screen, screen, diesel tank and pump, army trailer, two slurry pumps, a Honda pump, clean-up room equipment, and additional flat hose.
Equipment located on Connor Creek:
Feeder
Additional flat hose
I can send pictures and can provide details on this equipment. I am willing to discuss offers. Call Bill at 503-781-4393. E-mail me at dei@teleport.com.
TWO-CELL PAN AMERICAN STYLE JIG FOR SALE
Pan-American style, two cell, square, 42×42 inch jig. Includes 3/16” steel shot and 1/4” screens. Pan-American style jigs differ from other jigs as the diaphragm is located under the machine directly below the jig material bed. This increases recovery over other styles such as the “Denver” jig and various other “side pulse” jigs as it lifts the material equally across the entire material bed. Has an electric motor. I have not used this jig myself, and it has been sitting idle for several years. As is, $8,000 or make offer. Located in Unity, Oregon. Contact Ken Alexander 541-446-3413. Pictures can be provided on request.
65 KW ONAN GENERATOR FOR SALE
This is a 65 KW Onan generator mounted on a trailer with home-built cover. Has two junction boxes for power hookups. Comes with instruction manual and parts catalog. It is powered by a UV 401 International Harvester Co. engine with a gas tank hookup, but can be modified for LPG. The unit has only 339.6 Hrs. on the hour meter. Was used by USFWS as backup unit at a fish hatchery. Started and tested in October 2024. $2500 or make offer. Located in Unity, Oregon. Pictures can be provided on request. Contact Ken Alexander at 541-446-3413.
TEST TROMMEL FOR SALE-$1500
This unit is mounted on a trailer and can easily be moved into a site for testing the deposit. Contact Bob at firebasebob@hotmail.com . My phone number is 541-473-2880
I can e-mail you pictures.
CAPITOL PROSPECTING-METAL DETECTING AND MINING SUPPLIES
We are located in Baker City at 2801 Broadway Street. We buy used equipment and sell both new and used equipment. Come in and see what we have, or call me at 503-269-8640. My e-mail is CapitolProspecting@hotmail.com.
We appreciate your business. Gary and Christina Earle
ACTION MINING SERVICES, INC.
AMS is selling assay supplies, screens, chemicals and labware! Call for a quote and mention this ad for 10% off! Assay supplies, concentrators, impact mills, technical books (for the beginner to the advanced mill man), & more! Call for our free catalog or visit us online! Check out our website for information on Wave tables. We are located in Plains, Montana. Please call 406.826.9330 to place your order. This way our staff can have it pulled and ready for pick up. Otherwise, we can always ship your order! sales@actionmining.com • www.actionmining.com
AMERICAN EXPLORATION & MINING ASSOCIATION
EOMA is a member of American Exploration & Mining Association, and many of our members are also individual members. American Exploration & Mining Association is a 128-year-old, 1,400-member, national association representing the minerals industry. With members in 46 states, AEMA is the recognized national voice for exploration, the junior mining sector, maintaining access to public lands, and represents the entire mining life cycle, from exploration through production to reclamation and closure.
You can become a member of AEMA by going to their website at https://www.miningamerica.org