Proposed Mine Project Could Drastically Change Landscape

GARDEN VALLEY, Idaho  - A proposed mine project could drastically change the landscape of the Boise Basin physically and economically.

It could create hundreds of jobs, but some worry it could also create a lot of environmental problems.

It would be massive, but so far, it seems very few people know about the plan, even those living near it.

Mining made Boise County what it once was. Many years ago, the riches in its mountains and streams drew miners by the thousands, all seeking their fortune.

The streamside scars and many abandoned mines remain, but the jobs largely moved on.

"Typically our young people have to leave the county for high paying jobs," said Boise County Commissioner Jamie Anderson.

Like most of the country, Boise County is feeling the effects of the economy. Its unemployment rate stands at 9.5 percent.

"It's been difficult," said Mercantile owner Greg Simione.

Simione owns the Mercantile in the Garden Valley town of Crouch. He says customers are spending less.

"Last winter was really tough. We had to lay off some employees," he said.

But a major mine proposed for the nearby hills could someday bring a lot more people through the merc's doors. It's called the Cumo Mine.

The site is in the backcountry between Garden Valley and Idaho City.

Workers with Vancouver, British Columbia based Mosquito Consolidated Gold Mines are now drilling for core samples to figure out if the area is worth mining. The company president says it looks very promising.