EPA Bristol Bay Pebble Mine Peer Review Report: Perpetual Management & Argument

Jack Caldwell has some thoughts on the recently released EPA Bristol Bay Peer Review report.

Correctly, I believe, the peer reviewers called on the EPA to provide more detail on how any mine in that part of the world will be looked after perpetually.  The reports states: “perpetual management of the geotechnical integrity of the waste rock and tailings storage facilities, as well as perpetual water treatment and monitoring, most likely will be necessary. Therefore, emphasize how monitoring and management of the geotechnical integrity of waste rocks and tailing storage facilities should continue ‘In Perpetuity.’ “

Now that is an impossible mandate and the peer reviewers should know that and should have acknowledge it.  They failed to do so, because they know this could be a nail in the coffin.

LINK (via: Think Mining)

The Pebble Mine Parade of Cowards

Mining consultant Jack Caldwell skewers the Pebble Mine EPA Report peer review panel.

As I predicted and feared, the peer review panel opining on the EPA report on the Pebble Mine, turned out to be a group of cowards and academic ineptitudes.

LINK (via: I Think Mining)

Pebble Mine & Bristol Bay EPA Report Meet the Black Swan

Who better than to comment on the EPA report on the potential impact of mining on the Bristol Bay Region than mining consultant Jack Caldwell. A paper Caldwell wrote with Lawrence Charlebois titled Tailings Impoundment Failures, Black Swans, Incident Avoidance, and Checklists is quoted in the EPA report.

LINK

Politics and Biogeochemistry

Our favorite mining consultant Jack Caldwell weighs in on the names of those who will peer review the EPA report that says mine development poses a real risk to Bristol Bay.

LINK (via: I Think Mining)

My bosses and consulting colleagues will sit me down and politely admonish me

Mining consultant Jack Caldwell weighs in on the EPA report on Bristol Bay and the Pebble Mine.

Those who oppose Pebble Mine will laud the EPA report and back up their beliefs with the authority of the EPA.  Those who support the mine, will attack the EPA as a bunch of hopeless innocents beholden to Obama.  One potential peer reviewer of the EPA report has already told me he will attack the report for generalization:  they did not evaluate the Pebble Mine; they simply looked at averages and statistics.  That is not science, he will say.  That is opinion based on prejudice, he will say.

He who shouts loudest may win.  She who coins the best sound bite, will win.  Those who can write the most eloquent letter, may win.  And those with power behind the curtain will prevail.  Oh where is Hamlet to pierce the curtain to Polonius when we need him?

Read More (via:Think Mining)

They trot out profound and pusillanimous statements

Jack Caldwell, who has spent most of his working life consulting to the mining industry, has some investment advice when it come to the Pebble Mine.

The Pebble Mine cannot cheaply or safely dispose of their tailings. So avoid them as an investment. News reports this week talk of tailings dams as big and as long as the Great Wall of China. This is a good analogy.  And one day those dams will fail and wipe out the salmon industry, regardless of what you say.

It gets better.

I have read everything I can lay my hands on about the Pebble Mine and its tailings. They are clueless. They are professional consultants struggling to tell an optimistic story. They are obviously influenced by their client.  They trot out profound and pusillanimous statements. It is a farce.

LINK (Via: I Think Mining)

The Anglo American and Rio Tinto shareholder meeting is taking place this Thursday in London and the NRDC will be there to deliver 400,000 signatures in opposition to the mine.

They should bring a copy of Jack's blog post to hand out to investors.