Mining News: News Nuggets: BLM enters final stage of EA for exploration road at Palmer

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management April 26 opened a 30-day public review and comment period on environmental analysis of Constantine Metal Resources Ltd.’s proposed plan of operations to expand exploration at its Palmer project located on federal mining claims near Haines, Alaska. The plan, submitted by Constantine last June, proposes up to 2.5 miles of additional road construction that would provide access to up to 40 new drill sites on the Southeast Alaska property. The drill sites would provide staging areas for helicopter and ground-supported exploration activities at the copper- and zinc-rich polymetallic deposit. While there is an existing trail that was established in 1977, the road proposed by Constantine is designed to be safer and minimize the environmental footprint. BLM said the new proposal requires further public, stakeholder, and agency review, including a National Environmental Policy Act analysis, which was initiated in November. The BLM received 173 public comments on the plan, which helped identify several concerns that were carried forward in developing the environmental assessment. The EA includes two alternatives: Constantine’s proposed plan; and no action. Under the no action alternative, Constantine would continue exploration under a permit that allows up to five acres of disturbance on the Palmer property. The preferred alternative would increase the allowable disturbances to 40 acres, which would provide room for the access road and a larger equipment lay-down area. The EA is available for public review and comment until May 26. Constantine said it plans to continue exploration for the next five to 10 years.

- Shane Lasley

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