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Liberty Gold outlines restart plan for former Pegasus mine, plans environmental review and local outreach
Summary
Liberty Gold representatives told the Box Elder County Commission they are restarting a previously reclaimed gold mine north of Snowville, plan a federal environmental impact statement and state permitting over the next 2.5 years, and said the operation could support roughly 300–400 full-time jobs when operating.
Liberty Gold representatives presented an overview of a proposed restart of a previously operated gold mine just north of Snowville, describing a phased permitting and exploration process and ongoing community outreach. "I am the director of regulatory affairs for Liberty Gold company," Matthew Zitlow said as he opened the presentation, outlining that the company acquired the site in 2016 and has been conducting exploration and baseline environmental studies since 2017. Company staff told commissioners they have spent about $4,000,000 a year on field studies in recent years to support permitting.
The company said the project sits partly on Forest Service and BLM lands and will require an environmental impact statement under the National Environmental Policy Act, a process they expect to take roughly 2.5 years with concurrent state permitting. Elizabeth Campbell, Liberty Gold community relations coordinator, emphasized outreach and workforce planning, noting partnerships with Idaho State University and Boise State University and ongoing tribal contacts. Campbell said the project will offer tours and scholarships and that the company has worked to "clear up misunderstandings" from the site's prior operations. The company described the site as largely on previously disturbed ground from the 1990s Pegasus operation and said they plan a low-tech operation with leach pads and no onsite crushing, and indicated they would pursue agreements to lease some agricultural water rather than apply for new water rights.
The presenters answered commissioners' questions about tailings, heavy metals and water. Zitlow said historic tailings were reclaimed and the company's plan is to avoid disturbing those areas, and Campbell told the commission the operation would not create pit lakes or draw from the aquifer because they would lease and reallocate existing water uses. Commissioners asked staff to stay involved with local emergency responders and to coordinate with sheriffs and fire services in neighboring counties given the project's proximity to the state line.
