Passport Potash company president Joshua Bleak expects to start construction of a potash mine in the Holbrook basin in 3 years with actual mining to begin in 5 years, according to a story in the Arizona Journal. Bleak and other company personnel spoke to a group of about 100 local government and business leaders and company investors at a luncheon set up at the potash exploration site on Monday. [right, potash sample. Credit, USGS]
According to the news article the company is considering either underground or solution mining options. Solution mining would require about 2,000 gallons of water per minute. The project "has the potential for 1,000 to 1,500 construction jobs, and 300 to 500 full-time jobs that will provide an annual salary of around $70,000," according to Bleak.
Passport and the other company active in the area, HNZ LLC, are each in the midst of extensive drilling and exploration programs in the basin.
Surprisingly, not one mention or concern was made at this luncheon as to how this mining may affect the National Park who's borders they will be working on.
ReplyDeleteI am a poster/blogger from Stockhouse.com. I am also a PPI shareholder. I was on the tour in Holbrook area on Mar.14/11.
ReplyDeleteHere is a link to my blog. I am having trouble posting it in “the comments’ section of your blog. Perhaps you could post it as I have photos and written summary of the tour that might interest your readers.
Thank you, Rob...aka..Goodinfo11
http://www.stockhouse.com/Blogs/ViewDetailedPost.aspx?p=114285
Rather tragic that you have elected to not only quote, but to direct attention to someone with such a narrow and misguided agenda as goodinfo ( alias godinfo ).
ReplyDeleteRather than giving him credence, you have only served to cast grave doubt on your own judgement.
Tragic? Remember, there are two kinds of narrow and misguided agendas. The readers of your blog can tell the difference.
ReplyDeleteFirst off there will be no mining in the park areas or the area the park is purchasing for expansion. The rest of the land is owned privately, federally, and by the state of Arizona. This geological location is the reason why some will shaft mined, In order to not disturb any artifacts. This is also going to be big boost for the economy of the existing towns in the area. Navajo and Apache county are some of the poorest counties in the state. The people of these area's have been waiting for years for some sign of growth and job creation. They are looking quite forward to the perpective economical boom.
ReplyDelete...and let us not forget once you have the blessing of the Hopi Tribe, you are in like Flynn. However, I am greatly concerned about solution mining and the sacred supply of water in the area. My family hails from Holbrook since the 1800's, I am behind this mining effort but certainly have a cautious, jaundiced eye on the entire affair and want to see the safest, wisest practices followed in order to preserve our water supply in these counties.
ReplyDeleteLIVING IN HOLBROOK FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS HAS TAUGHT ME THAT HOLBROOK WILL FIND A WAY TO DISCOURAGE ANY FORWARD MOTION UNLESS THE ELITE PEOPLE OF HOLBROOK CAN MAKE A PROFIT FROM THIS
ReplyDeleteOK Folks did you read solution mining will use 2,000 gallons of water a minute. Oh well, the employees making a salary will have enough money to haul water from somewhere else. Upton Sinclair wrote over 100 years ago,"It is difficult to get a man to understand something when His salary depends upon Him not understanding it".Good luck to all you future water haulers!
ReplyDeleteStatements
Delete1) Compare finite resource to finite resource, water to food
2) 2.000 gal per min. =(given 24 hrs per day 6 days per week) 288,560,000 gal. per yr.=30,997,366.5 bushels per yr of water
???????????????
1)Will any currant crop yields increase 30,997,366.5 bushels per yr.?
2)Which is more important food or water?
Needed water…….There are several factors to consider but, let's start with a healthy person. They said that we need 8 8oz glass of water (64 oz), and that's not true for everyone. There's a way to calculate a person needs to maintain health. Divide the weight into 2 and the amount would be what the amount of the answer, but in ounce. Example. - 150 pounds divided to 2 = 75 So therefore, the amount would be 75 ounce is needed daily. That is if the weather is cool at least and not warm. The warmer and hotter the more the body need fluid. The if the person is not doing anything extraneous activity (like exercise or physical things) else, the body need to replace what is lost. Then there's the food one eats - if a person eat watermelon, then the water from that fruit will replace the fluid. So, food that has water in it or with it count towards the daily need... Humans can live for weeks and sometimes months without food. Going without water, however, is a different story…Two-thirds of a human body’s weight consists of water. Humans need water for circulation, respiration and converting food to energy.After oxygen, water is the body’s most important nutrient. Quite simply, you need water to live.Your body loses water constantly through sweat, urine and even breathing. You must replace the water your body loses for your organs to continue to work properly.- See more at: http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/how-much-water-do-you-need-to-survive/#sthash.G4LvlV8u.dpufSo how long can you survive without water? Humans in average shape and perfect conditions (not too hot or cold) can probably live for three to five days without any water if they’re not physically exerting themselves. – 10 day without water 4-6 wks without food
If I am the median for Navajo county:
196.4# 98.2oz.per day (used to solution mine potash) --18,806,354,398.78 oz per yr / 365=512,242.58 oz.per day. / 98.2=5216 &1/3 persons/97,470=5.35% of 2000 population at sometime gets no water
2000 gal.per.min.= 288,560,000 gal per yr.=2758 acre feet per. yr. or 10 acres covered once a yr. 275.8 feet deep in water. If you assume max employees @ max salary it will put $35,000,000.00 per yr that the potash remains profitable
ReplyDeleteI do believe if any company needs to use that much of a precious resource like water to run daily operations it should not be able to do it without all the people that live in the area giving their permission. That type of operation in that area would cause all the people living there a great hardship once the water is rendered unusable. Mining is one thing but to use our water to mine is just not right.
ReplyDelete