![]() The company pledged to put up a $3.1 million bond to ensure the site would be properly reclaimed. Operators are looking to tap the Jurassic Twin Creek formation, which is 2,600 feet thick at this location and holds up to 1.1 billion tons of limestone. The so-called “Silver Mine” would not target its namesake mineral, but the NOI indicates that quarry could yield unspecified precious metals in addition to aggregates. Limestone aggregates are used in making concrete and have a variety of applications in construction. (Christopher Cherrington | The Salt Lake Tribune) The site of the proposed quarry in Parleys Canyon. The site is immediately west of the privately owned Mount Aire Canyon and is served by an existing exit on the interstate. The proposed location does put the mine adjacent to a major transportation corridor, reducing impacts associated with getting the crushed limestone to construction sites along the Wasatch Front and Wasatch Back. ![]() Several recreation destinations are close by such as Mount Aire, Mountain Dell Golf Course and Little Dell Reservoir. There is some residential development near the quarry site, but the filing acknowledges the land is important wildlife habitat without referencing a nearby subdivision. The mine would require a conditional use permit from the county and would have to be reviewed for compliance with the county’s Foothills and Canyon Overlay Zone ordinance. While Tree Farm filed its notice under Utah’s rules for small mining operations, its proposal envisions a footprint much larger than the 10-acre limit for small mines, which are regulated differently than larger mines. Operations could begin as soon as 30 days after the filing under the expedited process Tree Farm requested. The well-developed 344-page filing sets in motion a process that could result in a significant extractive operation inside one of the Wasatch Mountains’ busiest canyons, traveled daily by thousands on Interstate 80, connecting Utah’s main metropolitan area with Park City.Ī smaller existing quarry is cut into the hillside on the opposite side of the freeway. 12, Tree Farm’s principal Jesse Lassley filed a notice of intent, or NOI, to “commence small mining operations.” This application seeks approval from the Utah Division of Oil, Gas and Mining (DOGM) to mine the foothills and process extracted limestone on-site immediately east of Salt Lake City. Instead, the development could potentially scar the natural contours of the landscape and could irreversibly disturb the experiences of countless residents in these two canyons.” “This is not in harmony with Salt Lake County’s vision to protect the unique qualities of our canyons and public health for generations to come. But it is also less than one mile from Grandeur Peak, and thousands of hikers, bikers, and skiers safely recreating in Mill Creek Canyon,” she said in an emailed statement. “Mining will change the landscape, habitat, and health in Parleys Canyon.
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