Book Description

This document is the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Kootenai National Forest (KNF) Record of Decision (ROD) for the Rock Creek Project. The KNF intends to approve an Amended Plan of Operations for the Rock Creek Project, a copper and silver underground mine and associated facilities in northwestern Montana, near Noxon in Sanders County (Figure 1), consistent with Alternative V as presented in its Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (Final SEIS). Construction will occur in two phases (Figure 2 and Figure 3) and will include the following associated facilities: a mille for ore processing, a paste tailings disposal facility, a rail loadout for transportation of concetrate, and water treatment facilities. RC Resources, Inc. (RCR), a wholly owned subsidiary of Hecla Mining Company (Hecla), will be the project operator. RCR currently owns the mineral estate for the Rock Creek ore deposit beneath and adjacent to the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness (CMW) in the Cabinet Ranger District of the Kaniksu National Forest, which is administered by the KNF (Figure 4).