Coming soon to a claim near you?

[Mad Machinist]

It is starting in Australia, but how long before it starts here? I don't think it will be long based on some other info I have.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/rio-t...XM5bzY5BGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwMzBHZ0aWQDBHNlYwNzcg--

 

[KevinInColorado]

A very exciting turn of events if you are a professional, independent prospector.

I have a friend who is a geologist and does this full time for a major. I've often wondered if he'd do better skipping the salary and splitting the finds like these guys are planning to do. Like buying lottery tickets I suppose!

 

[Mad Machinist]

Kevin,

There is more to this. I am just waiting to see if it qualifies as political or not. There are a great deal of changes coming in the mining industry. Like I said, the days of the small miner are about to return.

 

[fowledup]

I think they forgot to tell California that

 

[Mad Machinist]

Ok. I got everything checked out. Here goes.

Column: The U.S. Digs Itself Into A Hole On Vital Minerals - Lisa Murkowski - iBloomBerg Reports

THIS is what it really has to do with. Things are a changing.

 

[KevinInColorado]

That sounds really encouraging to have her dealing with the permitting and regulatory process so directly, very cool!!

 

[goldenIrishman]

I've know of our country's dependence for many minerals for some time. It has never made sense to me to be dependent on other countries for them when we have them right here. Between slow permitting processes, enviro regulations, and the high cost of domestic projects we as a country have been doing a great job of killing off our ability to mine our own strategic minerals. Should war break out with the countries that supply us now we'd be "in a heap o trouble son". We may not be able to ramp up production to required levels before a war is lost.

Many miners have know for a long time that Washington needs to get their act together and relax some of the overbearing regulations that make mining so expensive. This is even more true when it's a strategic material. Permitting for mines takes way to long because of all the hoops a company has to jump through to get everything in place before actual mining can even start. The Rosemont mine project south east of Tucson is a prime example of the hassles. Even though they've met all of the required government regs, the enviro-nutz are still fighting tooth and nail to keep this project from moving forward.

We miners, both large and small scale, need to keep trying to make both Washington and the states understand that these minerals need to be produced within our own country and all dependence on foreign suppliers should be as minimal as possible. We have a great mining history and with the new tech that is available our operations are cleaner than they have ever been in the past.

 

[russau]

MM this has been going on in the good ole USA for a long time now! the satalite Tellstar used to do this from space and then it went to aircraft. I saw a article in a magazine back in 2000 about it up in Alaska while I was waiting on my plan ride.. it was called Air Born imigagine system (A.I.S.) they could pick out any mineral by scanning for a specific frequency (usually in the audio range) and plot these coordinats then man has to prove up this data with a Spectrometer on the ground. the last I read about this , the good ole USA was mapping out ALL of the gas,water,oil reserves in the USA and moved on to mapping the other Countrys aswell! I wouldn't doubt that they also (not mentioned) that they mapped the precious metals also while they were there. that would give me a explanation of WHY they want us OFF public land and o wanting to sell off our land!!!

 

[2cmorau]

Lisa Murkoski has learned the Liberal way of doing things, backdoor tactics, good for her
Crazyfornia should realize, as is stated many times in publications, Bulletins related to mining and geology
the small miner is ecological, environmentaly and economically beneficial, the small miner makes a small footprint
could be why large mining companys don't donate to the cause of us small miners

Ok. I got everything checked out. Here goes.

Column: The U.S. Digs Itself Into A Hole On Vital Minerals - Lisa Murkowski - iBloomBerg Reports

THIS is what it really has to do with. Things are a changing.

 

[KevinInColorado]

Lisa Murkoski has learned the Liberal way of doing things, backdoor tactics, good for her
Crazyfornia should realize, as is stated many times in publications, Bulletins related to mining and geology
the small miner is ecological, environmentaly and economically beneficial, the small miner makes a small footprint
could be why large mining companys don't donate to the cause of us small miners

The big mining companies are NOT our enemies or opponents.

Their work via lobbyists and influence and even lawsuits does a lot of good for us. Some say they are more effective than things like PLP and AMRA. I don't know personally about that comparison but from my days in the industry I can tell you that the big mining companies know how they benefit from the individual prospector...both in terms of political support and even boots on the ground finding mineral deposits.

 

[fowledup]

I hope we all benefit from it but this has far more to do with getting the Pebble mine out of the quick sand of regulatory permit stalling it finds itself in than fixing any of the problems in the lower 48. Not trying to be Debbie Downer here but remember her support for SA838 same motive? She has plenty of motivation for her state as this could be the future worlds largest open pit Copper, Molybendium, and Gold mine if it ever gets off the ground. At least one state has reps that fight for them, Go Sen Murkowski!
None of this will help California since our opposition is moving in the direction of creating laws that work around the mining laws and other incentives or protection. Like dredging they pass a law that brings on a moratorium while it's litigated, going on how many years now? Now they are passing another law that will more than likely put a moratorium on the rest of the forms of mining in this state and we will be shut down while it's studied and litigated. These laws and tactics will spread to other states. So while I applaud her and her efforts 100%, I won't hold false hope that they are targeted at us or will save us, we are being attacked from a totally different flank that side lines these efforts. Sorry folks but until we ourselves get involved at a much bigger level than what we have, we will not reap the benefits of the Senators efforts, no miracle legislation will help us. I think by this time next year we are gonna see all kinds of new involvement by miners as they realize all this legal stuff isn't just about dredging!

 

[2cmorau]

Kevin i did not say that, reread my comment
Rep Murkoski is a republican,smart enough to learns the ways of the extrme anti mining environmentals
large mining companys can afford the $25,000 a day fine imposed by the water board or the $10,000 per gallon California SWRCB
large mining companys do0 nothing for the independent small miner, see any large mining companys using a 6 " DREDGE as thier main peice of operation, Delusional

 

[Goldwasher]

Kevin i did not say that, reread my comment
Rep Murkoski is a republican,smart enough to learns the ways of the extrme anti mining environmentals
large mining companys can afford the $25,000 a day fine imposed by the water board or the $10,000 per gallon California SWRCB
large mining companys do0 nothing for the independent small miner, see any large mining companys using a 6 " DREDGE as thier main peice of operation, Delusional

could you give a few examples of the big companies paying big daily fines?

At the hearings Allen and Izzy were saying they want us to have to have the same permits as the big wigs.....Hopefully Barry will chime in but, I think there are less than 20 large gold mines operating in California....according to U.S.G.S.....I don't think there are dozens of permits issued for gold mines....I'm sure there are a lot for other mining...and aggregate operations....But, it seems that "GOLD MINING" gets the worst of it.(could be and hope I am very wrong)
When you read the old magazines you definitely hear a lot of the small guys complaining that its the " Big Guys" that are causing problems for the " Small Guys"....
Now its all the " environmentalists".......either way the opposition needs very little help to keep the "small guys" chasing BOOGEYMEN!!!!!....it ids orginazition and focus that will rule the day !!!!...KNOW YOUR RIGHTS>>>STAND YOUR GROUND!!

 

[2cmorau]

yes, GW
same could be asked of which large mining company lobby in our behalf, name one
Mining and farming, two most important industry's
look it up yourselfState water resource control board has the fines listed for water polution
large mining companys are very much like most politictains
when did Homestake pullout of lake county and do you know why?
source said they still had 20 years in reserve

 

[Mad Machinist]

Kevin i did not say that, reread my comment
Rep Murkoski is a republican,smart enough to learns the ways of the extrme anti mining environmentals
large mining companys can afford the $25,000 a day fine imposed by the water board or the $10,000 per gallon California SWRCB
large mining companys do0 nothing for the independent small miner, see any large mining companys using a 6 " DREDGE as thier main peice of operation, Delusional

Yea, the big boys did a lot over the years to drive the little guy out of business to reduce competition. Everyone thought that the world class deposits would last forever. Well, those world class deposits are about gone or they are in areas that will never be mined for one reason or another.

Fast forward to today and some of the smarter ones are seeing the writing on the wall. And that writing says if we don't do something to continue being profitable, we will no longer exist. The smarter ones are already looking at partnering with some of the smaller guys to remain profitable.

If you go back and read some of what I have posted concerning small mines and a centralized smelter, you begin to understand what is happening. And that is about what I can say about that.

The days of having a multi billion dollar investment in a mine that will be there for 20 or 30 years at a rather high mining rate are coming to a close rather quickly. Deposits of that size are getting rarer than hen's teeth.

And when this is combined with the decreasing ore grades, political instability, increasing royalties, and downright hostility in some cases in many areas, the path forward does lie with partnering with the smaller guys to remain viable.