Although no official position has been taken, the Sierra Fund, which studies environmental impacts from Gold Rush mining practices, has concerns about a proposal to re-open a mine. Last fall, a use permit application was submitted to Nevada County to resume drilling at the Idaho-Maryland Gold Mine, which was shut down by the federal government in 1942. Sierra Fund CEO Izzy Martin says she prefers more financially feasible uses…

Martin says the type of mining that would be done would require a very expensive process of crushing and processing enormous amounts of rocks and stones…

And Martin indicates she’s not confident any health impacts from mining operations, including on water, could be mitigated efficiently or without a high cost. Rise Gold Corp says a water treatment plant and pond would ensure that groundwater pumped from the mine would not pollute local waterways. The company says at full production around 300 employees would need to be hired, making it one of the largest employers in the county. The county has not held a hearing to review the application yet.