Kendall Mine Update: March 2005

Last Fall the mine’s owner, Canyon Resources Corp., decided to proceed with reclamation work at the mine even though it had no State-approved reclamation plan. Despite this fact, DEQ allowed Canyon to regrade the leach pads but threatened to seek a court injunction to halt any final capping of the leach pads with topsoil. DEQ said it doesn’t want any irreversible work, such as capping, to occur until a new reclamation plan is in place. An environmental impact statement on a new plan is due this Spring. Meanwhile a lawsuit brought against the mine by neighboring ranchers is on hold pending the outcome of a related case before the Montana Supreme Court. The ranchers are seeking damages because the open-pit, cyanide heap-leach mine polluted and depleted their water.