Silver City, Nevada creates website to fight Comstock Mining, Inc. pit mining threat

A website that dedicates itself to Silver City and proposed gold mining around the historic Lyon County community has been launched.

SilverCityNvBlogspot.com was developed by a group of town residents with the idea of providing a citizen point of view as Comstock Mining, Inc., fueled by record gold prices, looks to change the land-use designation of a parcel it now occupies and has been doing exploratory drilling.

The parcel is located on property within the Silver City town limits, and is currently designated “Suburban.” The requested change — to “Resource” — could make mining on the property possible.

The Board of Lyon County Commissioners have yet to take action on the request and instead have referred Comstock Mining to the Lyon County Planning Commission as the proper venue. At this time, a designation request hasn't been submitted to the Planning Commission.

On Monday, March 28 Comstock Mining Inc., issued a press release that asks members of the Silver City community to participate in a focus group to discuss the company’s mining plans and its participation in the community.

The release states the initial purpose of the focus group is to allow the company to hear about the community’s concerns regarding the impact and benefits of mining activity. Simultaneously, the community will have the opportunity to gain an in-depth understanding of the company’s plans: including scope, mine plans, processing details, safety and environmental protocols.

"Once a base of understanding is established, the more important goal is to identify and structure the most effective ways Comstock Mining can interact with the community to provide a significant and broad-reaching benefit to residents," the press release stated.

Comstock Mining seeks input as to the membership of the focus group from community organizations, government entities and other community groups. Those interested can email focusgroup@comstockmining.com.

Residents have reacted with surprise to the invitation for a "focus group" with the company, since, they say, they've already given the company ample feedback on the proposed pit mining of their town during a number of town advisory council meetings this winter.

Long time Silver City resident Quest Lakes said recordings of the town meetings, Lyon County Board of Commissioners' meetings, and legislative hearings, all include repeated requests from residents to halt plans for pit mining the town, as well as repeated statements by residents that "nothing will compensate us for the destruction of our community."

Comstock Mining, Inc (also known as Plum Mining and formerly as Goldspring, Inc) sent its CEO, Corrado De Gasperis, and several of his staff to the last three of four Silver City Town Advisory Council meetings, in which roughly 70 percent of adult residents of Silver City participated.

In addition, the town of Silver City voted to send advisory members to Lyon County Board of Commissioner's meetings with letters, motions, petitions signed by the majority of the residents, and presentations to make clear the town strongly opposes exploratory drilling and pit mining in the town limits.

Click here to read a motion the citizens advisory council made on Feb. 1 regarding its position on mining there:

See these links to legislative hearing on SB86 on eminent domain for statements by residents on Comstock Mining, eminent domain threat, and pit mining proposals:

www.leg.state.nv.us/Session/76th2011/Minutes/Senate/JUD/Final/117.pdf (legislative hearing on SB86)

 http://www.leg.state.nv.us/Session/76th2011/Exhibits/Senate/JUD/SJUD117I.pdf  (statement by resident Theo McCormick)

http://www.leg.state.nv.us/Session/76th2011/Exhibits/Senate/JUD/SJUD117J... (statement by resident Larry Wahrenbrock)

Reference info can be found here:

www.silvercitynv.blogspot.com
www.comstockmining.com/

Photo Caption: The community of Silver City, Nevada is located on the Comstock within the  Federally designated Historic Landmark District and most residents object to proposals by Comstock Mining, Inc's to pit mine within the town. Picture here, a steam train, one of the major tourist attractions for Northern Nevada, can be seen from Silver City as it makes its way through the mountains above Silver City toward Mound House on the restored  Virginia and Truckee Railroad. Photo by Erich Obermayr