This proposed mine near Boise would extract our wealth and endanger our environment | Opinion
On Sept. 19, the Forest Service published a draft decision, issuing a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the massive CuMo Exploration Project. If this decision becomes final after the objection period, it would authorize a six-year mineral exploration effort, including 250 drill holes and 122 drill sites, all located at the headwaters of the Boise River Watershed.
The project has been promoted to investors as a potential site for one of the largest open-pit mines in the world. While Idahoans face the environmental consequences, international conglomerates will profit, all without paying royalties — thanks to the outdated 1872 Mining Law, which allows companies to exploit taxpayer-owned resources on public lands without compensating Americans.
The CuMo Project’s ownership is a confusing web of international interests. In 2011, Mosquito Consolidated Gold Corp, a Canadian mining company, proposed exploration near the headwaters of Grimes Creek, visible from Bogus Basin. The company rebranded as American CuMo Mining Corporation (CuMoCo) and in 2013 established Idaho CuMo Mining Corporation (ICMC), marketing itself as an “Idaho Company” — a common tactic among mining firms.
However, ICMC was a subsidiary of Joway Health Industries Group Inc., a company based in Nevada, but with offices in China. Last year, Joway merged with Canadian-based Multi-Metal Development Ltd., changing its shell company’s name to Idaho Copper Corporation (IDCU).
Ownership of the project has shifted again through a recent sheriff’s sale between Multi-Metal Development Ltd. and International Energy & Mineral Resources (IEMR), involving a forced auction of Idaho Copper Corporation, a subsidiary managing the CuMo Project. This sale reflects ongoing financial instability and raises concerns about the future management and environmental oversight of the project. As control over the project shifts, there is a risk that cost-cutting measures could take precedence over responsible environmental stewardship.
The sheriff’s sale of IDCU raises alarming concerns about the future environmental oversight of the CuMo Project, which is already one of the most controversial mining ventures in Idaho. The judge who approved the sale even questioned the project’s worth, stating, “Far from establishing value, these facts call into question whether the shares have any functional value.” Financial turbulence often leads to lax oversight, delayed environmental mitigation efforts, and a reduced focus on sustainable practices. This forced sale threatens to undermine crucial environmental safeguards that protect the region’s water quality, wildlife, and natural habitats. This situation should be a wake-up call for regulators and the community to demand stronger environmental guarantees and transparent management to ensure that financial turmoil does not lead to ecological disaster.
The 1872 Mining Act, which governs hardrock mining, is 152 years old and woefully outdated. Written before the advent of modern technology, it has allowed mining companies to exploit natural resources without accountability. The CuMo Project exemplifies the urgent need to reform this law to protect public lands. Idahoans should not be left with the mess of a failed mining venture that provides no local benefits.
The CuMo project has never been, and never will be, for Idaho.