Porcupine - Constantine Palmer Deposit panorama
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The conflict over putting in a hard-rock mine near the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve near Haines, Alaska took a new turn recently with the filing of a lawsuit by an Alaska Native Tlingit tribe and three environmental groups. The group is suing the Bureau of Land Management, saying that the agency granted mineral exploration permits without considering how a mine could affect the Chilkat River's salmon and the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve.
Joining the Tlingit village of Klukwan in the lawsuit against the BLM are the Southeast Alaska Conservation Council, Lynn Canal Conservation and Rivers Without Borders. They are represented by Earthjustice, a nonprofit environmental law firm. The group is asking for mining permits to be revoked.
Constantine Metal Resources Ltd. of Vancouver, British Columbia along with investment partner Dowa Metals & Mining Co., Ltd. of Japan is exploring a site for a mine located just to the right of the pictured Saksaia Glacier (right). The potential mine site is just above Glacier Creek (not visible) and the Klehini River (foreground). This area, known as the Palmer Deposit, is located near the Porcupine placer gold mining area (the low foreground area) below Porcupine Peak (left rear).
Support for a large scale mine is divided among area residents. The needed economic boost from jobs that a mine brings is tempting to some. To others, anything that might put the salmon spawning and rearing habitat and watershed resources at risk is simply unimaginable and unacceptable. The concern is copper and other heavy metals in mine waste leaching into the Klehini River (shown) and the Chilkat River 14 miles downstream.
The Chilkat River salmon are the primary food source for one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world. Each fall, bald eagles congregate in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve located only three miles downriver from the area of current exploration.
EDITORS NOTE: This image is a stitched panorama.
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- © John L. Dengler
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Alaska America American Pacific Mining Chilkat River Constantine Metal Resources Constantine Metal Resources Ltd. Constantine Mine Constantine North Inc. Dowa Dowa Metals Dowa Metals & Mining Dowa Metals & Mining Co. Ltd. Earthjustice Flower Mountain Glacier Creek Glacier Creek Deposit Glacier Creek Prospect Glacier Creek VMS deposit Haines Klehini River Klukwan Lynn Canal Conservation North America Palmer Deposit Palmer Exploration Project Palmer VMS project Porcupine Creek Porcupine Mining Area Porcupine Peak Rivers Without Borders SEACC Saksaia Glacier Southeast Alaska Conservation Council U.S. US USA United States United States of America VMS composite copper glacier glaciers gold hard-rock mine hardrock mine horizontal landscape landscapes metal and mineral mine mine site mining natural resources nature no people nobody outdoor outdoors outside panorama panoramic precious metal rocks and minerals scenery scenic silver southeast Alaska volcanogenic massive sulphide