Idaho Antimony Mining Project Moves A Step Closer To Reality

In what could come to be seen as a landmark development for U.S. efforts to secure domestic supply chains for critical energy minerals, the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) issued a draft record of decision (ROD) Friday authorizing Perpetua Resources to restart operations at the Stibnite Mine in Central Idaho. The draft ROD opens a 45-day comment period required by the Administrative Procedures Act, which would then be followed by a 45-day resolution period. If all goes to schedule, the ROD could become final by the end of 2024.

Friday’s draft decision signals the possible end to a long and complex process of securing local, state, and federal permits required for Perpetua to restart operations at Stibnite, which first began gold and antimony mining operations in 1927. Initial mining operations were shut down in 1958, but a second generation of miners recovered additional resources from 1978 through 1996, when operations were again shut down. The site has remained idle since that time.