Idaho
Mining is necessary, but must be done responsibly, Idaho Conservation League report says • Idaho Capital Sun
Mining has played an important role in shaping Idaho, but the Idaho Conservation League is working to raise awareness about the long-lasting environmental damage caused by mining in the Gem State.
A new report from the nonprofit, Unearthing Idaho: Mining and Environmental Impacts in the Gem State, provides guidance on balancing the demand for minerals with protecting Idaho’s environment. It was published to address concerns about new mining projects, increased exploration efforts and issues with abandoned mines, said Josh Johnson, the central Idaho director for the Idaho Conservation League.
Johnson acknowledged the need for mining, noting that resources like cars, cellphones and computers and renewable energy technology rely on mined materials, some of which come from Idaho.
“Mining is a huge part of Idaho’s history and in our heritage here,” Johnson told the Idaho Capital Sun. “We are blessed with a lot of natural resources, and there is a reason for us to use those mineral resources. But I think we need to recognize that this mining is not appropriate everywhere, and it needs to be done the right way.”
Johnson said the organization looks at mining projects in Idaho on a case-by-case basis, and that it does not generalize mining across Idaho. The report includes a list of best practices that it hopes mining companies will adopt.
A look at Idaho’s mining history
Though mining shaped Idaho’s history, it has created lasting environmental challenges.
Idaho’s mining history dates back to the late 1800s, when the region became part of a late gold rush, historian Troy Lambert told the Idaho Capital Sun. After the discovery of gold in 1860, mining soon became Idaho’s dominant industry, surpassing agriculture and livestock, according to Idaho’s 1899 inaugural mining report.
The rush for resources didn’t stop at gold. Many discovered silver, lead and copper deposits, particularly in North Idaho’s Shoshone County, which would go on to lead the nation in silver production for decades.
(Screenshot of Report of the Inspector of Mines for the State of Idaho, 1899)
For decades, Idaho spearheaded the mining industry, even offering mining programs through the University of Idaho’s School of Mines, established in 1917 to support the state’s demand for mining expertise. During World War II, Stibnite Mine near Yellow Pine became the nation’s leading producer of antimony and tungsten, which were used for bullet production and metal strengthening, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
However, Idaho’s mining industry, like the rest of the nation’s, began to decline in the late 1900s for several reasons, including the rising costs of extracting deeper resources, the end of World War II mining subsidies and the introduction of environmental regulations like the Clean Air and Water acts from the 1970s, Lambert said.
This led to a declining interest in mining. By 2002, the University of Idaho closed its mining school, and many of those courses were restructured into other colleges on campus, university spokesperson Jodi Walker told the Sun.
The Clean Air and Water acts, in particular, significantly changed Idaho’s mining practices. Before these regulations, historical mining projects operated under the idea of “dilution as the solution,” assuming polluted water would naturally clean itself as it traveled downstream, Lambert said.
“For a long time it was just a really dirty process, especially the milling process … the outhouses over the stream,” Lambert said. “They poisoned the land, the water and all of that downstream. Those dirty mining practices are still having an impact on how we manage the environment in those areas today.”
Lambert said mining in Idaho was seen as a very noble profession, where men would risk their lives to work. While mining has died down in Idaho and the U.S. as a whole, Lambert said mining worldwide has not.
“If we don’t mine here, it’s gonna happen elsewhere in the world,” he said, adding that the U.S. has child labor laws and modern environmental standards to ensure more ethical and sustainable practices.
Report highlights mining projects that left, and could leave scars on Idaho
Today, mining makes up for less than 1% of the Gem State’s economy. There are six operating mines left in Idaho, with three phosphate mines in southeast Idaho and three metal mines in North Idaho.
But historical and modern mining projects continue to affect Idaho’s landscape. From lead contamination from the Bunker Hill smelter to coal mining runoff in British Columbia contaminating the Kootenai River — Idaho’s waterways and wildlife habitats are still suffering from the damage caused by mining, the report says.
The report includes a non-exhaustive list of mining projects across Idaho, that the Idaho Conservation League says warrant the attention of Idahoans. Some are mineral exploration projects, such as the CuMo Exploration Project outside of Idaho City, and others are in the permitting process, such as Stibnite Gold Mine.
Biden signs law to clean up abandoned mines across the western U.S.
The report, Johnson said, argues that while mining is necessary, it must be done responsibly. By offering a list of best practices, the Idaho Conservation League hopes to help mining companies and permitting regulators mitigate the environmental impact of new and ongoing projects.
There are still 8,800 abandoned mines in the state, according to the report. However, Johnson said a new federal law signed on Dec. 17 to clean up abandoned mines in the West is a step in the right direction. The law was sponsored by U.S. Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho. The next step to address mining issues would be to reform the General Mining Law of 1872, which Johnson said favors mining over any other use of public land.
“We’re not trying to shut down the mining industry in Idaho,” Johnson said. “What we’re trying to do is improve projects and say that some places in Idaho are really special and should be off limits to mining.”
GET THE MORNING HEADLINES.
BOISE, Idaho (Idaho Capital Sun) — Day use access fees at all Idaho state parks will be waived for Idaho residents on July 4 as part of a celebration of America’s 250th anniversary, Gov. Brad Little announced Friday, as reported by the Idaho Capital Sun.
“As we prepare to mark 250 years of American independence, there is no better way to celebrate than by getting outside with our loved ones and enjoying the freedoms and natural treasures that define our great nation,” Little said Friday. “Idaho’s state parks showcase the very best of our state, and we are proud to welcome families, friends and visitors to explore them free of charge during this special occasion.”
While day use fees for Idaho residents will be waived, normal camping and reservation fees will apply, officials said.
Idaho has 28 state parks, which offer a variety of recreational and outdoor activities including hiking, horseback riding, skiing, bird watching, rock climbing, fishing, boating, swimming, bicycling and more.
State officials with the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation are in the process of unveiling improvements and enhancements at several state parks, including Lucky Peak State Park outside of Boise, which recently opened a new dog beach and accessible kayak launch on the Boise River.
Other state parks include Bruneau Dunes State Park and Observatory, Harriman State Park, Bear Lake State Park and City of Rocks National Reserve, which is a national reserve and state park that attracts climbers from all over the world to its dramatic granite rock spires.
Little said the July 4 fee waiver is a part of a larger effort to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence being signed in 1776.
Copyright 2026 KMVT. All rights reserved.
We’re lucky to live in a place as safe as the Treasure Valley. Despite our growth, one of the things that makes our area so special is the way that we look out for one another–for our neighbors! That’s a principle that seems to have held on as Boise has boomed.
Despite low crime rates, there seems to always be one incident or so that makes us scratch our heads.
A recent string of fraud incidents in the Treasure Valley area is one of those.
Nampa Police initially warned the public of this because cases of fraud began to ‘mushroom’. Then, it took an interesting turn–people that HAD their credit cards were being ‘taken to the bank’, so to speak.
In a statement originally released on April 30th by the Nampa Police Department, officials advised the following:
We are not sure how the suspects are gaining access to the victim’s credit cards. There is a growing fraud scheme, “ghost tapping”, that scammers are using to access victims’ credit cards. This is possibly occurring in these instances. “Ghost tapping” uses stolen credit card details in Apple Pay or Google Pay, then remotely relays the tap signal over the internet to a ‘mule’ at a store, allowing them to make high-value purchases that appear completely legitimate. (We’ll share more information on ghost tapping in a later public service announcement that will also suggest ways to protect yourself.) The app used by these criminals obscures the actual credit card number, making it harder for investigators to link a victim to a particular crime. Keep in mind that victims still have their physical credit cards while suspects use the stolen card information to make purchases, which also affects how victims are alerted. So far, local investigators have not been able to identify a common theme among the victims (e.g., a specific bank, a website they visited, a gas pump they used, etc.) in the fraud cases we are investigating.
The investigation spans far and wide.
Authorities say that some suspects are in custody, others are being contacted, and others are still at large.
Now, a week later, the police are back to reaching out to the public–this time, urging people to check their bank accounts.
Nampa Police say that they have caught onto a pattern– there are fraudulent charges at Albertson’s to purchase gift cards, at Costco to purchase Apple products, and at Best Buy, also for Apple products.
Check those bank statements!
Inside The Arrest of 3 Venezuelan Fraudsters
What on earth was happening in Eagle this week?
Gallery Credit: Credit: Mateo, 103.5 KISS FM
It’s Not Hard To See Why This Idaho Police Photoshoot Is Going Viral
The Jerome Police Department is going viral thanks to Twin Falls photographer, Layton Henderson. Once you see the hilarious photos, you’ll see why!
Gallery Credit: Chris Cardenas
A powerful search engine that organizes and provides access to vast information on the internet.
-
World11 minutes ago
Hantavirus-stricken cruise ship arrives at Tenerife in Spain’s Canary Islands
-
News17 minutes agoBobby Cox, One of Baseball’s Top Managers, Dies at 84
-
Politics23 minutes agoVideo: The G.O.P. Rush To Break Up Majority-Black Districts
-
Business29 minutes agoHow ‘The View’ Landed at the Center of a Free Speech Battle
-
Science35 minutes agoPentagon Releases Files on U.F.O.s
-
Health41 minutes agoGuava for Weight Loss Is a Real Thing—Here’s the Juicy Truth
-
Culture53 minutes agoWhy Is Everyone Obsessed With Bogs?
-
Lifestyle59 minutes agoHow ‘Mile End Kicks’ Nailed the Indie Sleaze Look
