Milford Mining asks Beaver County for letter of intent on post‑mining truck shop and facilities
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Summary
A Milford Mining representative briefed the commission on reclamation and sought a county letter of intent to reserve post‑mining use of a truck shop area and related facilities. Company officials said reclamation plans are in progress and that an MOU or more detailed agreement could follow.
Milford Mining representatives asked the Beaver County Commission on April 15 to consider a short letter of intent indicating the county’s interest in a future post‑mining land‑use agreement for a truck shop area and related facilities that would become available after final mine closure.
The request matters because the company said several maintenance and support facilities near the highway could be left in place for county use after reclamation, which would affect county infrastructure planning and future maintenance operations.
An environmental engineer for Milford Mining told the commission the company controls a large portfolio of mineral claims and leases and operates an open‑pit copper mine with an approximately 750‑acre operating footprint. The engineer described recent capital work including a 20‑foot raise on the tailings impoundment that added about 1,300,000 cubic yards of capacity and the installation of an ore‑sorting circuit to improve mill feed efficiency.
The engineer said the company has prepared a reclamation plan and is negotiating permits with state regulators and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The company offered a specific post‑mining configuration on a parcel off the highway that would include fuel tanks (two 13,000‑gallon diesel tanks and two 9,000‑gallon tanks), an electrical substation, a water tank and pump house, and a truck shop area used for equipment maintenance. The company asked county staff to begin informal discussions and requested a short letter indicating the county is willing to entertain a future MOU or post‑mining lease agreement.
Commissioners agreed to move forward with an initial letter. A county contact for the follow‑up was given as Greg Guzzle; Milford Mining said it would coordinate draft language and run it past the county before any formal MOU is negotiated. The company emphasized that a formal agreement would require more detailed negotiations on ownership, operation and maintenance of wells and facilities.
Authority referenced by the company included Utah Code Title 40, Chapter 8 — the Utah Mines and Land Reclamation Act — and multiple state permits under review. The company noted that parts of the operation sit on both private patented claims and public BLM lands, and that reclamation work must coordinate with the state division that oversees mine permitting and reclamation.
Why this matters: a letter of intent would allow Milford Mining to proceed with large‑mine permitting activities that reference potential post‑mining municipal uses while preserving the county’s option to negotiate a formal transfer or lease at closure. County staff agreed to draft an initial letter of intent for the commission to review.
Speakers drawn from the meeting transcript include the Milford Mining environmental engineer (presenter), Greg Guzzle (county contact), and Wade Long (head commissioner).
