why stop the mine?
8 Reasons
Rise Gold, a 15-year-old mining company that has never opened a mine and never made a profit, wants to re-reopen the Idaho-Maryland Mine here in Grass Valley. The Nevada County Board of Supervisors approved the development of an Environmental Impact Report which is currently in review with decisions expected in 2022. Here's what's at stake.
Scroll to learn more or watch the 15 minute presentation
Risks our health
80 years
Hardrock mining is the single largest source of toxic waste in the United States. Rise Gold wants to put a heavy industrial mining plant into the middle of our peaceful residential community. 24 hours a day. 7 days a week. For up to 80 years.
failing grade
Grass Valley gets an “F” for air quality today. The mine will make it worse with escaped dust from continuous rock crushing, loading, hauling, unloading, spreading, and compacting. With chronic lung disease deaths already at twice the state average, we can't afford any more.
Erases Plans to Curb Climate Change
The mine calls for massive energy usage- roughly 12% of what all Nevada County uses annually- further straining our power grid and completely erasing the county's plans to cut power consumption and curb climate change.
Toxic Spill
Their CEO's last venture polluted tribal waters, went bankrupt, and left Canadians with a mess to clean up. And many question their financials.
GROUNDWATER at risk
Water is one of the most precious resources we have, but Rise Gold plans to pump out 3.6 million gallons every day for 6 months and another 1.2 for up to 80 years - flooding creeks, destroying habitat, and putting private 300+ private wells at risk.
While Rise Gold shareholders profit, the local community gets little. The few jobs gained are offset by big risks for tourism, high tech businesses, wells, and 10’s of millions lost in property values.
$10's of millions
100 truck trips/day
The peace and quiet that brought homeowners to this beautiful area will be shattered. Constant truck traffic, vibration, and noise from heavy equipment operations will become the new normal.
Rise Gold owns the toxic Centennial Site and is obligated to clean it up. That’s good for the community, but if the Mine is approved, they’ll use it to dump more mine waste.
pre-superfund site
Sit back, relax, and listen to a MineWatch volunteer talk about our community's concerns.