EOMA SEPTEMBER 2024
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EASTERN OREGON
MINING ASSOCIATION
SEPTEMBER 2024
VOLUME 420
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
Website: eoma.us
SEPTEMBER 6th MEETING AT ELK CREEK ENTERPRISES
The meetings are held on the first Friday of the month. The next EOMA monthly meeting is at the
Elk Creek Enterprises saw shop located at 890 Elm Street in Baker City. The Board Meeting will
begin at 6:00 PM and the general meeting follows at 6:30 PM. Everyone is welcome to attend
these meetings. There is time for discussing mining and getting to know other miners. We will
give away a 1 oz. silver medallion at the end of the meeting.
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE-
The Biden/Harris program of stopping mine development, and delaying mine permitting, and
locking away more and more millions of acres of our mineralized lands has had a terrible effect
on our ability to domestically supply the minerals necessary for the production of goods. Although
Kamala Harris has not said much yet about her future policies, her past policies are obvious.
Resource production will suffer more limitations if Kamala Harris is elected as president. Her
focus on restricting our production of food, lumber, metals and energy, will do little to stop the
climate from changing, but will definitely lead to more dependance on foreign imports.
The amount of control China has right now, over much of the material we use and need for
production of goods, is astounding. For instance, China currently has control over 97% of global
copper smelting and refining capacity. And this is just the tip of the iceberg of China’s control
over refining and production of minerals essential for global industrial production. As it grows its
economic expansion, China will build a few more coal-fired electric plants to supply our needs,
that is, if they don’t decide to cut us off. No matter what, the cost to us for goods will go up, as
inflationary forces lower the value of the dollar, and domestic supplies of minerals becomes more
restricted. There will be a lot more control and intrusion that the Federal Government has in the
everyday life of everyone in the United States if Kamala Harris is elected president.
EOMA SEPTEMBER 2024
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SMALL MINER WAIVERS OR MAINTENANCE FEE PAYMENTS WERE DUE AT
BLM SEPT 3, 2024-Jan Alexander
If you failed to get your waiver into BLM, or if you pay fees and failed to get a check into BLM
on time, your claims will be determined null and void. There is no appeal process and certainly
no due process. It’s all about the money, and BLM makes a lot of money when miners must refile
their claims.
A 20-acre claim will now cost you $274 at BLM, a 40-acre claim will cost you $474. County
recording fees are on top of BLM fees. If you need help refiling your claims, give me a call.
WHEN IS MY PROOF OF LABOR DUE?-Jan Alexander
So, here is the confusing part. You can report on your proof of labor form any assessment work
you do on your claims right up to noon on September 1. Thus, the County gives you 30 days after
September 1 to file your assessment work with them. BLM gives you until December 30 to get
the proof of labor into them.
Way too many dates to remember, if you ask me. Ken and I always send our small miner waiver
and proof of labor to BLM together in the same envelope before the September deadline for the
waiver. We send these by certified mail, check to see when the check is cashed and then check
the BLM data base to see if it has been updated. BLM is inundated with thousands of submittals
this time of year. Miners need to protect themselves and do everything possible to ensure BLM
does not lose any of the paperwork.
CLAIM MAINTENANCE FEES HAVE INCREASED FROM $165 TO $200-AEMA
Claim maintenance fees (CMFs) have increased to $200 per claim, and the location fee increased
to $49. We encourage you to submit your payments early to prevent loss of your mining claims.
Congress included language in the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 to allow claim
holders, in lieu of the annual assessment work, to pay a claim maintenance fee of $100 for each
unpatented lode claim, mill site or tunnel site. The fee was also tied to the Consumer Price Index
(published by the Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics), with the requirement that
the Secretary of Interior adjust the CMF and the location fee every five years.
OREGON DOGAMI IS BROKEN-Jan Alexander
DOGAMI is the State agency that is supposed to support mining in Oregon. However, that never
seems to happen. Mining projects on Federal lands, which are analyzed in NEPA documents that
take years to finalize, are reviewed by all other state and federal agencies, and all require
reclamation bonds be posted before approval.
Then, these proposals (1 acre or 5,000 cubic yards moved) must be sent to DOGAMI, along with
$2,000 for DOGAMI’s approval also. This process takes at least another year, and DOGAMI
requires another bond, on top of the Federal agency bond, before the project can begin. DOGAMI
states their purpose is to work with the industry. They need to start doing this.
EOMA SEPTEMBER 2024
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POWDER RIVER MINING FINAL EIS-Jan Alexander
The Powder Mining EIS, has been finalized. 22 Plans of Operation, mostly exploration Plans,
were analyzed in the document. There are still some errors, but this EIS has been 15 years in the
writing of it, it’s now in final form, and miners just want this to be done so they can mine next
season.
The real problems are in the Draft Record of Decision. Even though the Forest Supervisor states
he is planning to approve the placer exploration plans of operation, in fact he missed the Return
operation Site #2 where the Plan of Operation on page 1 clearly states testing will take place. We
are in the Objection Period for this Record of Decision, and Chad and I have both included our
objections to the Reviewing Officer, telling her that Site #2 should be included in the operations
that will be approved. The Supervisor has made the Decision not to approve any of the lode
exploration Plans, even though they are clearly in the exploration phase. After 15 years of waiting
for operating plan approval, they just now find this out. Our lode miners have written Objection
letters because of this flawed decision.
Other miners have also filed their Objections. We all realize that there can hardly be justice here
when the EIS has been approved by the Portland Office and by Washington D.C. They have
surely looked over the Forest Supervisor’s Draft Record of Decision where he states he will only
approve placer exploration operations.
Our Objections will undoubtedly fall on deaf ears. But all we can do is try to make the Forest
Service understand that they are wrong.
CHINA TO LIMIT ANTIMONY EXPORTS IN LATEST CRITICAL MINERAL
CURBS- Reuters
China will impose export limits on antimony and related elements in the name of national
security, its commerce ministry said on Thursday, Beijing’s latest move to restrict shipments of
critical minerals in which it is the dominant supplier.
China accounted last year for 48% of global mined output of antimony, a strategic metal used in
military applications such as ammunition, infrared missiles, nuclear weapons and night vision
goggles, as well as in batteries and photovoltaic equipment. The restrictions are being imposed
“in order to safeguard national security and interests, and fulfill international obligations such
as non-proliferation”, the ministry said in a statement.
“It’s a sign of the times,” said Christopher Ecclestone, a principal and mining strategist at
Hallgarten & Company in London. “The military uses of Sb (antimony) are now the tail that wags
the dog. Everyone needs it for armaments so it is better to hang onto it than sell it,” he said. “This
will put a real squeeze on the U.S. and European militaries.”
EOMA SEPTEMBER 2024
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U.S. AND OTHER COUNTRIES ARE SCRAMBLING TO EASE RELIANCE ON
CHINA-Reuters
The U.S. and other countries are scrambling to ease their reliance on China for key materials,
setting out policies and support packages for their critical minerals sectors, including rare earths.
In an April research note, analysts at China Securities said increasing demand for arms and
ammunition due to wars and geopolitical tensions was likely to see tightening control and
stockpiling of antimony ore.
Perpetua Resources (PPTA.O) which is building a U.S. antimony and gold project with support
from the Pentagon and the U.S. Export-Import Bank, had initially planned to begin production
by 2028, should it obtain final permits this year. But China’s moves meant the company is
studying ways to produce antimony faster.
“We are looking at things that we can do during construction to get antimony out the door sooner
for some of these strategic needs,” Jon Cherry, Perpetua’s CEO, told Reuters. “The (U.S.)
Department of Defense is aware of the critical nature of antimony and the short supply available.
We’ve been hearing from a lot of different sources about the lack of supply for antimony, that the
market is very tight and getting tighter daily.”
CHINA’S WIDENING CURBS- Reuters
China’s latest curbs follow a wave of such restrictions introduced since last year. In December,
China banned the export of technology to make rare earth magnets, which came on top of a ban
already in place on exporting technology to extract and separate the critical materials. Beijing
has also tightened exports of some graphite products, and imposed restrictions on exports of
gallium and germanium products widely used in the semiconductor industry.
Prices of antimony surged to record highs this year, fueled by tight supply and growing demand,
especially from the photovoltaic sector, where the metal is used to improve the performance of
solar cells. One antimony producer in Hunan province said they were waiting to see the results
of the latest move, but added: “We believe in the short term prices should be supported by a wave
of rush stockpiling from overseas buyers.” They declined to be identified as they were not
authorized to speak to the media.
While China is the biggest supplier of refined antimony, it is a net importer of concentrates and
depends on ore from countries including Thailand, Myanmar and Russia, customs data showed.
Imports from Russia have fallen sharply this year. “A lack of concentrate feedstock remains the
key feature of the antimony market at present,” said Jack Bedder, co-founder of consultancy
Project Blue. (Reporting by Qiaoyi Li, Amy Lv, Siyi Liu, Bernard Orr in Beijing, Polina Devitt
in London, Seher Dareen in Bengaluru, and Ernest Scheyder in Houston; Editing by Christina
Fincher, Tony Munroe and Jan Harvey)
EOMA SEPTEMBER 2024
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CALICO RESOURCES PROPOSED GRASSY MOUNTAIN GOLD MINE IN MALHEUR
COUNTY-Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries
A Project Coordinating Committee (PCC) Meeting is scheduled for Thursday, September 12,
2024, 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm PDT. The PCC will meet to receive updates on the Consolidated Permit
Application (CPA) process timeline, to view a presentation on the Environmental Evaluation (EE),
and to view a presentation on land use findings.
The PCC is an interdisciplinary team of agencies that share information and coordinate county,
state, and federal permitting requirements in order to facilitate the exchange of ideas, promote
interdisciplinary decision making, optimize communication, and avoid duplicative effort.
The public may view the meeting at the following link:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84382435786?pwd=cUhtZjZMWm8rMnN0UFcyYnJ6dU9VQT09 ;
or listen by phone: dial +1 253 215 8782 and enter the meeting ID 817 5581 4234. The passcode:
909053. For assistance, please contact the DOGAMI Albany office at (541) 967-2083.
Written public comments on the Environmental Evaluation and on any other matter before the
Committee will be accepted through 9/22/2024. The materials available for review and a comment
form to submit comments are available online at:
https://www.oregon.gov/dogami/mlrr/Pages/Calico-GrassyMtn_projectDocuments.aspx
Comments may be submitted by email to information.grassymtn@dogami.oregon.gov or by U.S.
Postal Service mail to Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries, Mineral Land
Regulation & Reclamation Program, 229 Broadalbin St SW, Albany, OR 97321-2246.
USING SPACE TECHNOLOGY TO LOOK FOR MINERALS- Fleet Space Technologies
Australian space exploration company Fleet Space Technologies announced Thursday it has
deployed its end-to-end mineral exploration solution, ExoSphere, to support Eagle Mountain
Mining’s data-driven exploration at their Silver Mountain greenfield copper project in Arizona.
Over 40 industry leading exploration companies – including Rio Tinto, Core Lithium, and Barrick
Gold – have used the technology to complete 300+ surveys for a variety of critical minerals across
five continents. Leveraging ExoSphere’s real-time 3D subsurface mapping capabilities, powered
by space technology and AI, Eagle Mountain uncovered new insights that underscore the potential
for large mineralized systems and identified multiple unknown targets at Silver Mountain, the
company said. “The real-time 3D imaging capabilities of Fleet Space’s end-to-end solution,
ExoSphere, helped us rapidly enhance our geological understanding of the Silver Mountain
project, reduce uncertainty, and deliver multiple high-priority targets for further exploration,”
Eagle Mountain CEO Tim Mason said in a news release. For more information:
https://www.mining.com/eagle-mountain-mining-deploys-space-exploration-technology-at-
arizona-silver-project/
DO YOU WANT YOUR NEWSLETTER DELIVERED BY MAIL OR BY E-MAIL?
If you want your newsletter delivered in the mail box that is fine, but if you want to receive the
newsletter by e-mail instead of by USPS mail, send a message to alxk@ortelco.net
EOMA SEPTEMBER 2024
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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
PRICE REDUCED-SIMPSON AND LUCKY PLACER CLAIMS FOR SALE
The Simpson is an 80-acre association placer and must be quit-claimed to a group of four miners.
The Lucky group is composed of three 20-acre claims. These can be purchased by one miner. Both
claim groups are covered by approved Plans of Operation and both are located on the Wallowa-
Whitman National Forest.
My health is forcing me to sell these claims. Give me a call if you are interested and please make
me an offer. Call Dave at 810-523-7313.
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 and 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.
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
Remember: “IF IT CAN’T BE GROWN, IT MUST BE MINED” serves as a reminder that
electric vehicles, transitional energy, and a green economy start with metals.