Idaho Department of Environmental Quality

50 years after the Bunker Hill mine fire caused one of the largest lead-poisoning cases in US history, Idaho's Silver Valley is still at risk

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, August 30, 2023
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On Sept. 3, 1973, a fire swept through the baghouse of the Bunker Hill mine in Idaho’s Silver Valley.

Key Points: 
  • On Sept. 3, 1973, a fire swept through the baghouse of the Bunker Hill mine in Idaho’s Silver Valley.
  • The building was designed to filter pollutants produced by smelting, the melting of rocks that separates metal from its ore.
  • At the time, the prices of lead and silver were climbing toward all-time highs.
  • They increased production, bypassed the filtration steps and, for eleven months, dumped noxious gases directly into the surrounding area.

How lead harms human health

    • However, we have zero need for lead.
    • It can also cause problems with brain development, kidney function and reproductive health, including miscarriages, prematurity and low birth weight.
    • The CDC no longer uses “level of concern” as a threshold, because there is no safe blood lead level in children.

Children’s health after the Baghouse Fire

    • The children of the Silver Valley were exposed to extremely high levels of poisons after the Baghouse Fire at the Bunker Hill mine.
    • Their average blood lead level was 67.4 micrograms per deciliter.
    • It is difficult to assess the extent of the damage from the Baghouse Fire in the children of the Silver Valley.

Continuing health risk in Silver Valley

    • The legacy of the Baghouse Fire continues to haunt Silver Valley, but that incident 50 years ago is only part of the picture.
    • At its height, the Silver Valley area had over 200 active mines.
    • It is estimated that the Coeur d’Alene River delivers about 200 tons of lead to Lake Coeur d’Alene every year.

Swan deaths show the continuing risk

    • In 2022, the average blood lead level for children in “The Box” was estimated at 2.3 micrograms per deciliter, above the U.S. average.
    • The average for the surrounding area was higher, 3.3 micrograms per deciliter.
    • Since 2008, average swan deaths are estimated at 50 to 60 birds per year.
    • There were over 300 bird deaths documented in 2022; a study is underway into the cause.

As Idaho’s population booms, people aren’t aware

    • With population growth comes development, digging and disturbing contaminated soil.
    • Idaho’s Panhandle Health District offers free lead screenings year-round to anyone living or spending time in the area.
    • Mary Rehnborg, program manager for the Institutional Controls Program in the Panhandle Health District, contributed to this article.

Marten Law Expands to Mountain West

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, March 1, 2023
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Marten Law is pleased to announce it has opened offices in the Mountain West, with locations in Boise, ID and Twin Falls, ID.

Key Points: 
  • Marten Law is pleased to announce it has opened offices in the Mountain West, with locations in Boise, ID and Twin Falls, ID.
  • The firm now has almost 20 lawyers practicing exclusively environmental and energy law and has grown to be one of the largest practices in its field in the West.
  • John Simpson is recognized as one of the leading water rights lawyers in the Mountain West.
  • Marten often teams with larger firms who seek out its experience in substantive environmental law and regulation.

Integra Provides Update on Project Permitting at DeLamar Gold-Silver Project, Commences 11,000 M Oxide Expansion Drill Program

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, October 13, 2022
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Permitting / Engineering Planned Activities 2022-2023:

Key Points: 
  • Permitting / Engineering Planned Activities 2022-2023:
    The following activities are on-going or will begin soon for the MPO:
    The Company has commenced an 11,000 m drill program at DeLamar using a sonic drill rig.
  • The stockpile drilling program will be executed at 60 m collar spacing with select 30 m infill test holes.
  • Integra is a development-stage mining company focused on the exploration and de-risking of the past producing DeLamar gold-silver project in Idaho, USA.
  • Integra is led by the management team from Integra Gold Corp. which successfully grew, developed and sold the Lamaque Project, in Quebec, for C$600m in 2017.

Perpetua Resources Receives First Permit for the Stibnite Gold Project

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, June 22, 2022
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Perpetua Resources receives Clean Air Act Permit to Construct, a significant project milestone.

Key Points: 
  • Perpetua Resources receives Clean Air Act Permit to Construct, a significant project milestone.
  • BOISE, Idaho, June 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -Perpetua Resources Corp. (Nasdaq: PPTA ) (TSX: PPTA) ("Perpetua Resources" or "Perpetua" or the "Company") received the Clean Air Act Permit to Construct ("Air Permit") for the Stibnite Gold Project ("Project") from the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality ("IDEQ") on June 17, 2022.
  • The Air Permit mandates compliance with state and federal air standards and regulates emissions from construction and operation of the Project.
  • "Receipt of our first permit marks a significant milestone for the Stibnite Gold Project," said Laurel Sayer, President, and CEO of Perpetua Resources.

NAIC Executive Committee Appoints Beth Dwyer to Financial Stability Oversight Council

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, March 31, 2022
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WASHINGTON, March 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Executive Committee of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) has appointed Beth Dwyer, Superintendent of Banking and Insurance for Rhode Island's Department of Business Regulation, to serve as NAIC members' representative on the Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC). She will succeed recently retired Maine Bureau of Insurance Superintendent Eric Cioppa and will provide the Council with critical expertise and the perspective of state insurance regulators.

Key Points: 
  • WASHINGTON, March 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Executive Committee of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) has appointed Beth Dwyer, Superintendent of Banking and Insurance for Rhode Island's Department of Business Regulation, to serve as NAIC members' representative on the Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC).
  • She will succeed recently retired Maine Bureau of Insurance Superintendent Eric Cioppa and will provide the Council with critical expertise and the perspective of state insurance regulators.
  • "Ensuring financial stability nationwide requires trust, clear communication, and close collaboration between the states and the federal government.
  • The Council comprises ten voting members and five non-voting members and monitors the safety and stability of the nation's financial system, identifies risks to the system, and coordinates responses.

Bunker Hill Announces $50 Million Project Finance Package, Mine Purchase, and US EPA Settlement Agreement Amendment

Retrieved on: 
Monday, December 20, 2021
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TORONTO, Dec. 20, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bunker Hill Mining Corp. (the “Company”) (CSE: BNKR; OTCQB: BHLL) is pleased to announce the achievement of its key short-term objectives, including the execution of a non-binding term sheet outlining a $50 million non-dilutive project finance package, the purchase of the Bunker Hill Mine, and the execution of a settlement agreement amendment with the US Environmental Protection Agency (“US EPA” or “EPA”). All figures in this news release are in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

Key Points: 
  • Together with the purchase of the mine and an amended settlement agreement with the EPA, a rapid restart of the prolific Bunker Hill Mine is now clearly within sight.
  • The package consists of an $8 million Royalty Convertible Debenture, a $5 million Convertible Debenture, and a multi-metals Stream of up to $37 million.
  • These proceeds will fund the purchase of the Bunker Hill Mine and near-term working capital requirements, including a $2 million payment to the EPAin January 2022 (see EPA Settlement Agreement Amendment section below).
  • The new payment schedule includes a $2 million payment to US EPA within 30 days of execution of this amendment.