Large mine permitting: requirements make for lengthy process.

• Author: Bohi, Heidi
• Position: SPECIAL SECTION: MINING

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Alaska's permitting process for large mines costs several million dollars, and, depending on the project, it is not unusual for the process to take several years. The Large Mine Permitting group--large mines as opposed to smaller placer mines--within the Alaska Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is responsible for coordinating the permitting activities for large mine projects statewide, says Ed Fogels, director of the Office of Project Management and Permitting in Anchorage.

KENSINGTON 'PRODUCING AND PROTECTING'

Leading up to the permitting of the Kensington underground gold mine in Southeast, Coeur d'Alene Mines Corp. worked closely with federal, State and local agencies to develop a project that was protective of the environment and in the public's best interest, Clyde Gillespie, environmental manager, says of the $400 million development that began production in June.

The Kensington gold project is located north of Juneau and the mine site is within the City and Borough of Juneau and the Tongass National Forest. It is the most recent example of how the permitting process can be unpredictable and threaten the development of mine prospects even in the eleventh hour.

In Kensington's case, a lawsuit brought by environmental groups to shut down the mine delayed the opening. The EPA urged the Corps of Engineers to take a second look at the lake disposal plan, recommending that mine operators turn the waste material into a paste before depositing it on land on the other side of the mine.

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Eventually, the Corps approved an amended permit allowing the mine to dump its waste into a nearby lake below the mine. Although the permit was issued and the project got the go ahead for construction, the process was not complete. The permits can be appealed and litigated. For Kensington, this appeal and litigation process continued four years after the permits were issued. Construction was halted for three years while the litigation process continued until determining the agency was correct in issuing the Section 404 permit, pertaining to activities involving discharge of fill material into waters.

Addressing concerns like these are necessary to ensure a project moves forward so that it protects the environment and public interest, Gillespie says, and while it can be challenging, it results in a comprehensive evaluation of all the different aspects of projects, including the extensive public review and comment...