Exploratory drilling for copper and moly approved near Tomichi Creek

Drilling likely to begin next summer

The Gunnison County Planning Commission has approved a proposal for exploratory drilling near White Pine, Colo.

The November 4 decision, delayed by the wait for a biological assessment from the Forest Service, likely comes too late for drilling to begin this fall. But Tomichi Resources, LLC, a subsidiary of Burnstone Ventures, has been given the go-ahead to drill nine core samples confirming the presence of copper and molybdenum, in spite of area residents’ concerns over the company’s long-term plans.
“There has been a problem communication-wise from the beginning on this project,” said commission chairman Ramon Reed in October. “People need to understand that we are considering a very limited application and that’s what we will approve… What may happen in the future, whether it’s further core drilling… or a mine, that’s not part of what we’re considering.”
Reed’s reminder came in response to repeated questions from a newly formed citizen watch group of White Pine property owners and High Country Citizens’ Alliance (HCCA). Both groups appeared before the commission in October to clarify the project’s scope for a second time, and raise new concerns about activity on Lot 1 of the Tomichi Park subdivision, which Tomichi Resources owns.
The draft decision under review by the commission in October originally stated that Tomichi Resources intended to use Lot 1 for staging and crew housing.
However, the Gault Group, representing Tomichi Resources, withdrew that detail from the draft, doing little to mollify HCCA.
“I’m concerned about the fact that they purchased Lot 1, they’ve begun activities on Lot 1 and now at the last minute they’re saying Lot 1 is not associated with this,” said Matt Reed, HCCA public lands director.
“That’s got nothing to do with this application if they are, and if those activities aren’t legal, then that should probably be brought to the community development [department’s] attention,” Ramon Reed answered.
Neal Starkebaum, assistant director for the county’s planning department, suggested that a condition could be added to the final draft stating that no approval was granted for any use on Lot 1, Tomichi Park subdivision and any subsequent use would require a land use permit.
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The Gault Group agreed to the condition, and in a follow-up interview, Glass confirmed that Lot 1 is not part of the current application, but he could not speak to any current or planned activities for the lot.
“HCCA and Jim Olsen are just grasping at straws,” Glass said. “It comes at a great time for HCCA that they are trying to raise money… so they should be thanking us.”
The Planning Commission’s resolution also included conditions for sound and water monitoring. Tomichi Resources hopes to drill 24 hours per day in two 12-hour shifts, but agreed to test decibel levels at the start of drilling for each hole. If noise levels fall below 40 decibels at night, the company will be allowed to operate 24 hours a day at that particular hole.
According to Glass, surrounding vegetation and sound panels developed by the drilling company—large 8×8-foot and 8×12-foot panels around the drilling rig and diesel engine—will ultimately determine noise levels.
“Whatever sound is generated goes up so assuming [the sound panels] work the way they say it works and that it’s in timbered area and higher in elevation than most of the receptive points, sound doesn’t usually go downhill very well… That’s my personal belief, but we could certainly quantify that within the first few hours of drilling,” Glass said.
Glass also confirmed that the company is conducting ongoing water monitoring, and will provide reports to the Planning Commission, including monthly sampling for oxygen, pH and six other parameters.
The Planning Commission delayed its final decision, however, until November 4 in order to consider a biological assessment from the Forest Service. On November 2, the Forest Service issued its approval of the project, which included consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for a biological assessment.
“While not required, it is my choice to offer discussion here of my rationale for coming to the decision I have…” wrote John Murphy in the Forest Service decision, “…discussions in the field and the office led to the relocation of selected drill holes so that the entire footprint would be in existing roads, with all activities occurring on previously disturbed areas.”
The Forest Service requires that all drilling be completed within one year of the project’s commencement. The Gault Group expects drilling to begin next summer, rather than this fall as it originally hoped.
“If it turned 60 degrees and stayed that way until Christmas, maybe,” he said. But no winter drilling is planned or approved.
A two and seven-eighths-inch-diameter core will be removed from each drill hole for analysis, and all cuttings, water, and base core fluids will be captured and contained in poly or steel tanks. The total area of disturbance for the project will be less than one acre.
At the November 4 decision, Jim Olsen spoke on behalf of the White Pine citizens’ group, explaining their repeated attempts to clarify the project’s scope.
“As community members, Burnstone has provided us with no avenues for communication, they don’t talk to us, they don’t help us, so bear with me as this is our only opportunity to get some clarification as to what these guys are doing to our community,” Olsen said.