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Butte Highlands mine projected to be small compared to modern mining standards

Posted: Jan 17, 2013 5:29 PM by Katy Harris KXLF News
Updated: Jan 17, 2013 5:38 PM

BUTTE-Gold still lingers in the Butte area.
Timberline Resources of Couer D'Alene has their eye on the Butte Highlands Joint Venture project, and it could employ around 65 people.

Timberline's Vice President of Exploration, Steve Osterberg, says the company chose the Butte Highlands as a site because, "It really comes back to favorable geology and favorable history."
Back in the late 1800's the area was known for placer production.

Osterberg says the proposed gold mine operation will be simple.
About 400 tons of ore is expected to be produced a day.
"The size of the deposit is really dictated by the size of the ore body and in our case it's really a very small ore body," says Osterberg.

The Highlands Gold Mine Project will take up approximately 20 acres, located about 15 miles south of Butte.
Butte residents shouldn't see any signs of mining operations from town.

"The project as planned is very small in terms of production but also in terms of the surface facilities. The entire surface operation including the waste rock piles and the ponds will sit on approximately 20 acres and all of that will be reclaimed after the operation is complete," adds Osterberg.

Currently the initial mining life is expected to last about 5 years.

Osterberg says his company is seeking a special use permit for road access to haul the ore directly from the site.
That permit would be issued by the Forest Service.