EASTERN OREGON
MINING ASSOCIATION January 2012 Newsletter Volume 268
President...........................................Maureen Anderson.............................541-786-3983 Executive Director...............Chuck Chase..................541/523-3285...................Fax 3285 Director of Governmental Affairs...............Terry Drever Gee................. 541-523-6228 Editors.......Chuck Chase and Jan Alexander.......................541/523-3285........Fax 3285
Mineral Policy Director...................................................Jan Alexander......541/446-3413
EOMA INTERNET ADDRESS: http://www.eoma.org
BONDS AND DUES ARE DUE JANUARY 1ST
Dues Have Increased $10 per Category, Check Newsletter
Dues and Bonds Are Due At the Same Time
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY
Dues, Bonds, Medallions, and Calendars Checks.
Please make checks for dues and bonds separate, they go into different accounts. It gets difficult to make change back and forth between the bonding fund and the general fund. It really gets fun when you guys order calendars, medallions and pay your dues and bonds with one check. So please take pity on the guy’s trying to keep the accounts straight and do separate checks..... Thanks the Treasurer...
Editor’s Note: Please, if you stop receiving the newsletter it may be a glitch in your address, give me a call at 541-523-3285 and I will check it out. Or if you are going to move or change your Post Office address, please leave a forwarding address with us or the Post Office. Each time we send you a newsletter or other communication and they can’t deliver it they charge 50 cents per non-delivery. After two non-delivery’s you are put on a pending list for non-delivery and won’t receive any more newsletters. The costs of the non-delivery adds up, I know 50 cents doesn’t sound like much but eight or ten a month adds up. ... Thanks......
PLEASE DONATE TO THE LEGAL FUND!!!
OREGON MINERS ARE SUING DEQ OVER PERMITTING AND TURBIDITY STANDARDS
We have been in and out of court since 2005 trying to get a dredge permit we can live with. With the costs of the ongoing litigation piling up we are asking miners and members to please help us out. We need donations to help keep us in the fight.
All ticket sales go to the legal fund so it is a win, win. Donate and send in your tickets from the newsletter for the ½ a pound of gold. Thanks for the help and your donations........ Good luck on the tickets for the ½ pound of gold. Each ticket gives you $5 off on an EOMA Medallion, what a deal.
MEMBERSHIP DUES AND FOREST SERVICE BOND PAYMENTS ARE DUE
If you have not renewed your EOMA membership and paid for your Forest Service bond under the MOU, for 2011 you are late, and the 2012 are coming due. Sit down right now and write that check, or better yet, come to the EOMA meeting January 6th at Baker City Hall building at 6:30PM and pay your dues and bond fee then.
THE BIGGEST OF ALL DRAWINGS
The Oregon, Washington, and California miners have banded together to put on probably the largest of all drawings ever. We are now selling tickets for the Grand Prize drawing on the half pound of gold. Every ticket you buy will be eligible for the Final drawing in March 2012 at the Salem, OR Gold Show.
ENTRIES: $5.00 EACH -- OR SIX FOR $25.00
The drawing for the ½ pound of gold is getting closer and the legal fees are mounting. Support your mining rights by purchasing your chance on the ½ pound of gold and also other great prizes. Mail your tickets with payment to: Waldo Mining, PO Box 1574, Cave Junction, OR 97523. The drawing will be held this spring for the ½ pound of gold on Sunday, March 25th, 2012, so get your tickets bought and sent in. Remember it only takes one ticket to win.
BOARD VOTED A $10 INCREASE IN THE DUES
At the October meeting an additional ten dollars was added to the annual dues. This additional ten dollars will go to the general fund for use as needed. Part of the reason for the increase was the depletion of the general and legal fund depleted by the ongoing legal battle over the suction dredge lawsuit. The ten dollar increase will be on all categories of the dues, whether it is a single, couple, organization, or business membership. It will go into effect on your 2012 dues in January. Our bonding prices will remain the same at this time...
DID YOU KNOW By Chuck Chase
* There is the same amount of water now as when the earth was formed. You might be drinking molecules of water some Neanderthal drank. Think about that one a little, kind of like drinking water downstream in a cow pasture....
* Ground water can take a lifetime to traverse one mile.
* In a 100 year cycle a water molecule spends 98 years in the ocean, 20 months as ice, 2 weeks in lakes and rivers, and less than a week in the atmosphere.
* Water regulates earth’s temperature.
* Ice floats because it is 9% lighter than water.
* Over 90% of the world’s fresh water supply is in the Antarctica.
More about water facts next time.......
Silver Imbedded Paper Filters Produce
Emergency Drinking Water
Researchers at McGill University have found an inexpensive, fast way to provide clean drinking water in emergency situations using paper filters coated with silver nanoparticles. The team, led by Prof. Derek Gray of McGill’s Department of Chemistry, says that the portable filter apparatus mainly would be used after disasters to supply potable water and is not geared toward a long term solution to producing clean drinking water. Researchers coated thick, hand-sized sheets of absorbent yet porous paper with silver nanoparticles and then poured in live bacteria. Even at low levels of silver – 5.9 milligrams of silver per gram of paper – the filter kills nearly all of the bacteria and produces water that meets the standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), according to Gray.
EOMA MEETINGS
Meetings are on the first Friday of the month. They are held at 1st and Auburn at the City Hall Chambers. Board meetings start at 6:00 and the general meeting starts at 6:30. The next meeting is January 6th, so mark it on your calendar.
DRAWING FOR LARGE GOLD NUGGET AT THE MISSOURI FLAT GRANGE
The Christmas drawing for the large nugget donated by Stan Baker was held at the Missouri Flat Grange, at Cedar Street and Idlewood Drive. The Eastern Oregon Miners and Prospectors hosted the event with drawings, and Christmas presents, (we won’t get into that event). Let’s just say that Scott Guthrie probably changed the rules in the gift exchange.
There was a Pot Luck along with the drawing for the gold nugget. Tickets were sold all through the day, the drawing of the nugget was held after a wonderful pot luck dinner, gift exchanges, and the table drawings. The lucky winner of the Stan Baker nugget was Jerry Secrist. There were an awful lot of groans coming from a lot of people that were sitting on the edge of their chairs when the winner was announced. Tickets had been sold for a chance on the nugget since last summer when Stan donated the large nugget for a fund raiser. Thanks Stan for your generosity, the money raised went into the General Fund to fund needed projects, thanks.
THE PRESIDENTS CORNER By Maureen Anderson
QUARTERLY MAGAZINE UPDATE By Ken Alexander
We have submitted advertising leads and a couple of short articles to the Newslink people. They are working on a production schedule and assembling information. If anyone has information they would like to submit for the magazine, send it to Ken at alxk@ortelco.net
SILVER PRICES NOW AND HISTORIC By Chuck Chase
Silver and gold has always be a hedge against inflation. Go back in history and look at the price of gold and silver and what you could buy with it. You would be surprised to see that you could purchase about the same amount of groceries historically both then and now. The ratio between gold and silver should be 16:1 or 16 ounces of silver to one ounce of gold. If you look at the price of silver to gold now it is around 25 ounces of silver to that of one ounce of gold. Silver is sitting there with a huge upside against the price of gold. With gold at around $1,700 dollars it should make silver selling for around $106. Every time the economy gets into a crunch time and inflation runs rampant silver adjusts to the 16:1 ratio to gold.
If you are like me and wonder just how much longer the geniuses in Washington DC and the Fed can keep lying to the American people about our economy. Even the optimistic person can feel it is about on the brink of collapse. It is starting to make silver more and more attractive. If gold hits $5,000 an ounce, silver will also hit historic highs of $300 plus an ounce. Precious metals experts are saying that will be cheap, it could go to well over $500 an ounce if we go into a major recession.
World industrial demand for silver could reach a record 665.9 million ounces in 2015 versus 487.4 million in 2010, according to a Gold Fields Mineral Services (GFMS) study for The Silver Institute, released in early April.
Electrical and electronics uses are major sources of demand for silver and were a record 242.9 million ounces globally last year, according to GFMS. Used in switches and contacts, silver is one of the best electrical and thermal conduits.
EOMA 2012 MEDALLIONS ARE IN
We just received shipment of the 2012 medallions and they are in every way as nice as the 2011 medallions. If you want one, all you need to do is give Ken Alexander a phone call and confirm an order.
We still have about sixty 2011 medallions to sell. If you want a 2011 medallion for your collection, a solid investment, or as a treasured gift to commemorate the year 2011, I suggest you don’t wait any longer. I have it on good authority that the remaining supply of 2011 medallions is going to be sold out by the end of January 2012. These medallions are currently selling for $50 dollars apiece plus $5.00 shipping and handling and insurance. To see if the listed price is valid, check the EOMA Web Site and see what prices are there, if in doubt call Ken Alexander at 541/446-3413. We have set the price at $50 dollars at this present time and will hold the price for as long as possible. But due to the volatility of the silver market at this time, these prices may be subject to change. So don’t mess around, send in $50 plus $5.00 shipping and handling before the price goes up, to EOMA, Medallions, PO Box 932, Baker City, OR 97814.
EOMA CALENDARS FOR 2012
President Maureen Anderson has delivered the 2012 calendar to the printers and I have just picked them up. Outstanding job Maureen, the pictures depicting early day mining in Baker County were furnished by Jan Alexander. The Calendar is better than last years and at the same price. So order your now for the last years price of $7.50 each, or three for $21 bucks, plus a buck each for shipping. There is an order form in the back of the newsletter. If you’re using an old newsletter order form just mark out the 2011 and put in 2012 calendar.....
WATER RIGHTS FOR MINING by Jan Alexander
Every miner who uses water for processing in Oregon should be aware that a water right is needed before using water from a stream. BLM requires proof of a water right before authorizing a Notice or approving a Plan of Operation. The Forest Service has also started doing this, however, the fact is that use of water is between the miner and the State, and this is not a Federal concern.
Springs that do not run off in a defined channel and off channel ponds are sources of process water where no water right is necessary. Up to 5,000 gallons of ground water can be used in a day and this use is considered an “exempt use”.
Oregon Water Resources Department (OWRD) maintains a data base with all the water rights issued since the 1800s. Since water rights go with the land, it makes no difference what name the right was originally issued in. You can search for water rights by legal description of point of diversion, or of place of beneficial use, or you can search by the stream. Most of the rights have maps, which is really helpful. If you find there is a water right for your property, be sure to use it. Rights that are not used are subject to cancellation. The OWRD data base shows whether a right has been cancelled. Give me a call at 541-446-3413 if you need some help researching water rights.
LIMITED LICENSES FOR MINING PROCESS WATER Jan Alexander
Several years ago Oregon Water Resources Department (OWRD) instituted the practice of issuing Limited Licenses for the use of surface and groundwater sources for mining processing when the use of that water would not interfere with a downstream user. These Limited Licenses cost $250 and were issued for a period of five years. Quite a few miners took advantage of the Licenses so their water use would be legal, and it seemed as if this temporary water right would help miners comply with State law.
However, a recent application for pumping process water from an off-channel mining pit that filled with groundwater after it was excavated was denied. The previous operator reported he had been unable to draw the water level down in the pit, pumping continuously for 24 hours at the rate of 1200gpm. Obviously, this pit (a) has a lot of water in it, and (b) that water is constantly recharged with groundwater. The application that was denied, proposed pumping only 120 gpm. How OWRD decided this small amount of groundwater pumped from the pit and used for processing would affect the stream and downstream users is beyond me. There are no facts to support their decision.
We are investigating this denial and should have more information after the first of the year. In the meantime, I would advise miners not to send OWRD an application and the non-refundable $250. If the denial of the application was because the application was filled out incorrectly, that is an error that can be corrected. If OWRD will no longer issue these types of mining water rights, there is no need to apply and waste the money.
ORION MINE EQUIPMENT REMOVAL AND SITE CLEAN-UP Jan Alexander
The Forest Service sold the equipment and miscellaneous materials at the Orion Mine by GSA auction on December 13, 2011. The winning bid was $12,006. On Friday when I called, the Forest Service still had not heard who got the bid. I am assuming that the mill will be resold, rather than scrapped. The whole situation is just plain sad. Carlon had so much faith in the Orion.
The winning bidder must clean up the whole site. The only items not included in the sale were the propane tanks and two powder magazines. These will be inspected for safety reasons, before being sold at a separate auction.
NORTH FORK BURNT RIVER MINING SEIS Jan Alexander
For the past 6 years, we have heard that “the EIS will be completed this year and the Plans of Operation approved”. Each year this has proved to not be true.
The decision was delayed again in 2011. We are now being told that the EIS Supplement decision will be made in February of 2012. We are all very hopeful that this is true. But it is a sad fact that there are few of us left after all these years of waiting. Some like Ed Newall, Zen and Pat Cutting and Frank Hannigan have passed on. Lots of others have sold their claims to other miners.
In a recent conversation with Senator Wyden’s aide, it was suggested that we need to have another round table meeting to determine what has gone wrong, and why the decision was again delayed. The new ranger, Jeff Tomac, seems committed to getting the 42 Plans of Operation approved, but all the previous rangers also seemed committed. We will just have to see what happens in February.
NORTH FORK BURNT RIVER MINING RECLAMATION BONDS Jan Alexander
The reclamation bonds for miners in the NFBR watershed are being calculated this winter. The bonds I have seen calculated by the Forest Service for other operations have been many times higher than they should be. The 36CFR228 regulations require that the amount of the bond be based on what it would cost the Forest Service to hire a third party contractor to reclaim the site. If your bond appears to be unreasonable, let me know. We will work with the Forest Service to ensure your bond is reasonable and meets the intent of the regulations.
EOMA WEB SITE
If you want to join or pay your dues on the website you can now do it through pay pal or with a credit card. You can also order silver medallions on the site with the same payment options. Don’t forget one of the benefits of being a member of the EOMA, is the ability to use the miner’s exchange free of charge. We are in the process of adding a new link to the list of links. It is Minerals Make Life http://mineralsmakelife.org/ which has already listed EOMA as one of its useful links. Congress is considering legislation aimed at revitalizing our nations domestic production of minerals. Send a letter to your representatives today encouraging them to support these critical bills. (S.1113) & (H.R. 2011) So far no Oregon representatives have signed on as co-sponsors. You can find out more about these bills on the Minerals Make Life website. Brian has listed literally hundreds of mining links on the website and if you are not using them you are missing an easy way to keep up with the mining world.
NORTHWEST MINING ASSOCIATION CONVENTION By Chuck Chase
Miners from all over including a delegation from the EOMA converged on John Ascuga’s Nugget in Sparks, Nevada, on the outskirts of Reno. It was a three days packed with sessions on the outlook and future of NEPA, to Legislative outlooks on pending and future bills concerning mining. In fact there were so many must attend sessions we split up and took notes so we could bring each other up to speed on any areas of concern. That covered all aspects of positive and problems that could affect mining. The three day session was jammed packed with meetings and sessions that left little time for anything else.
Professor, Dr, Thomas Seal, invited us to take a tour of Makay School of Mines where he is the head of Metallurgy Department. We made time to take this once in a life time chance to tour the famed School of Mines. To me that was the highlight of our trip to the Convention. Dr. Thom and his wife Jette who is head of the Sample Prep. Department for Newmont’s Carlin mine, picked us up in front of the Nugget Hotel. We drove from there to the Makay School of Mines located in Reno. The metallurgy department managed to get the testing equipment from the now defunct Bureau of Mines. What a treasure trove that was, small lab crushers, pulverizers, shaker screens and screen shakers, jigs, floatation cells, plus different concentrating equipment. On and on, they were in the process of going thru the equipment getting it into shape. Thom assured me when completed it would be one of the most up to date assaying labs anywhere around. I wouldn’t know what to do if I had a lab that complete. They showed us the different departments, each on was working on a task, the one most notable was the lab working mercury omissions from mining and processing facilities.
Just when you think you have seen everything, they led us to the School of Mines Museum, a collection of over a hundred years of ore and mineral specimens, plus a very notable collection of old mining pictures and equipment from yesteryear. I have never seen a mineral and ore collection that could even come close to competing with the collection they had.
We would like to extend a special thanks to Dr. Thom and Jetta Seal for their hospitality. And to Laura Skaer, Executive Director of Northwest Mining Association who helped us immensely, getting us registered and waiving some of the fees so the three of us could attend the sessions. It is these sessions that help us understand where and how what we will have to face in the coming year. With the EOMA’s limited budget, the EOMA probably couldn’t afford to attend the NWMA Convention without their generosity, thanks Laura and Mike for everything.
OREGON MINERS LEGAL FUND
A big thanks to the Mining Organizations that support the current ongoing litigation. Special thanks to those that have bought tickets to support the Dredge Suit. A real big thanks to Professor Thomas Seal, if I missed anybody who personally donated please accept my apologies. Send me an email or a note and we will acknowledge you in the next newsletter.
LEGAL DECISIONS’S UPDATE By Guy Michael
FUN SIDE OF MINING WITH EOMP
Let’s support our sister organization, they have supported us with their membership and contributions to our legal fund. You can scope out EOMP at www.eomp.org: check em out. They have a lot of fun scraping and digging for that elusive yellow metal.... I have attended several of these and they are a lot of fun. For a $75.00 annual family membership you can mine on any of their claims. All you need to do is join the organization and start enjoying all the fun of digging for that yellow metal. You mine all you want, any time you want, and keep all the gold that you find. For more information, Write to EOMP at P.O. Box 66 Baker City, OR 97814. Their meetings are the 4th Monday of the month, for more information call Earl Graham at 541-562-5543.
EOMA ADVERTISING AND SALE LISTING
The advertising listings are only $1 per month to get your ad listed below. Send your ad to: EOMA, Box 932, Baker City, OR 97814 along with your remittance for each month you want us to run your ad and we will take care of the rest. The number next to your ad is how many months your ad will run. .
FOR SALE (2)
Eighty acre placer claim at the mouth of Clarks Creek in the Burnt River Canyon and extends up Clark’s Creek. Claim is accessed by a year around road. Price is $10,000. call 541-523-3285.
FOR SALE (4)
A 4 or 6 Inch dredge system mounted on a 20 X 8 pontoon boat. Located near Glenn’s Ferry,
Idaho. $5,000, or $3,500 for pontoon boat/motor/ trailer (without dredge system). Dredge system is designed for recovery of very fine gold. Also a DYNA-MILL Impact Mill Located near Sumpter, Oregon. $2,000. Call Johnny West at: (208) 385-0950, Boise, Idaho
FOR SALE (3)
Hard rock and placer mine, good gold, located off the Auburn Road. Year around water, ponds, roads, log cabin, mill building, crusher, ball mill. Old shafts and tunnels abound the property. For more information call: 541-523-9107.
FOR SALE (4)
For More Information Call Miles Mitchell At (541) 672-1592
* Diamond Drill complete with 500 feet of drill rod, Perkins Diesel power.
* Three cylinder diesel engine, Ford 1900.
* A ship fire, high pressure pump, powered by a 6 cylinder diesel engine, ideal for placer mining.
* Stearns cross belt gold magnetic separator, recovers fine gold from concentrates.
* Five cubic yard International dump truck.
* Four cylinder industrial diesel engine.
* One cubic yard cement mixer, on wheels, has gas engine.
* Jagear twin diaphragm air mine pump 2 inch.
* Ingersol Rand air tugger, 4 cylinder, with steel cable.
* Four cylinder Lee Roy gas industrial engine.
* Joy diamond drill mounted on skid frame, needs engine.
* Steel housed gear reducer with inlet and outlet shafts.
* Six cylinder Dodge engine with cable drum mounted on skid frame, ideal for shaft sinking.
* 60 cfm gas air compressor on wheels, with tow bar.
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