Mariposans for Environmentally Responsible Growth (MERG)
was founded in 1989 from an ad hoc group concerned about the
impacts of a cyanide heap leach mining operation on the
verge of the Merced River. The description below is
about the origin of MERG and the specifics of a potentially
very environmentally damaging operation.
The Golden Bell Mine
In 1987 the public became aware of the efforts of a Canadian
Mining Company to re-open the Josephine and Pine Tree mines
at Bear Valley. The small dummy corporation used as a front
was called Golden Bell and was incorporated for $25,000.
There had been renewed exploration on this flank of Mt.
Bullion which was heavily mined in the gold rush when the
owner was John C. Fremont. The price of gold had spiked and
profit could be made from as little as a 1/4 ounce of gold
per ton of ore excavated.
But, the difference from the gold rush was that technology
was vastly different. The plan was to excavate huge piles
of ore and then apply a cyanide solution over it to leach
out the gold. This would be collected by having a thick
plastic sheeting under the pile and collecting the residue
from the leaching and then roast material to get the most
out of the process.
The problems were that large amounts of toxics were required
in this process: cyanide, arsenic, sulfuric acid, and
another ten. These would either be generated by the mine,
or trucked in to run the mine. Thirteen of the twenty-two
materials needed for the process were toxic and listed so in
the California Hazards manual.
The public began to investigate this Cyanide Heap Leach
Process with Roaster and could find only one roaster in
North America. It was in Yellow Knife, Canada, and had a
downwind plume of total destruction of all life going thirty
miles from the roaster. The public began to raise questions
of safety, which the miners could not answer. The nearest
HazMats resource was in Oakland, CA, and not readily
available to address spills or a chemical truck colliding
with a school bus. The miners disclaimed any responsibility
as "We are not in the trucking business."
At last the Board of Supervisors, who had been sold on the
project by the promise of jobs and revenues to the county,
began to ask questions. The mining company faded away and
pursued a project in Sonora/Jamestown area. The review of
the company history in Sonora tells the tale of what would
have happened in Mariposa........destruction, violations of
local laws, breaking of promises, failure to pay taxes, no
job creation, and when the gold ran out, a walkaway from any
reclamation. A sorry, but typical tale of mining with our
current technology.
But, the good part from our stand point, was that the
concerned citizens that did the research to expose this
dangerous project, decided to form an organization for
future public service. And that is where MERG came from 20
plus years ago.
Mariposans for Environmentally Responsible Growth
(MERG)
was founded in 1989 from this ad hoc group concerned about
the impacts of a cyanide heap leach mining operation on the
verge of the Merced River. A cyanide roaster, an extremely
toxic mechanism, was planned. MERG gathered facts about the
risks of the project and disseminated them to the public and
the county officials.
The mine did not go forward.
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