The BLM just approved a claim for a limestone mine in eastern Idaho. Here’s where it will be built

IDAHO FALLS – A petition to unfastened a limestone mining cognition astir 15 miles southwest of Idaho Falls is moving forward.

Burns Industries LLC successful Idaho Falls revenge a declare successful 2022 to create a quarry connected 204 acres of onshore connected U.S. Bureau of Land Management property. A institution spokesperson was unavailable to speak pinch america astir nan project, but nan scheme was to build a high-grade calcium carbonate limestone quarry adjacent Wolverine Canyon.

“High-calcium limestone is utilized to make a assortment of materials, specified arsenic cement, mortar, lime, paint, glass, nutrient and pharmaceuticals, cultivation products, ceramics, and adhesives aliases sealants,” nan BLM says successful a May 2024 news release astir nan project.

Public records mention to it arsenic nan Burnstone Quarry. Details astir who would use from limestone that’s extracted astatine this location are unclear.

After a six-month nationalist remark period, nan BLM has completed its reappraisal of nan task and approved it for development.

“The task is an fantabulous illustration of BLM’s committedness to see mineral improvement arsenic 1 of nan galore important nationalist onshore uses wrong nan agency’s multiple-use mandate,” BLM Pocatello Field Manager Blaine Newman says successful a news release.

RELATED | Local institution hoping to unfastened limestone quarry adjacent Wolverine Canyon successful Bingham County

In December, BLM Project Manager Bryce Anderson told america nan institution still has respective permits successful Bingham County that request to beryllium finalized earlier nan mining cognition gets underway.

“They besides person a reclamation scheme they would request to person approved done nan Idaho Department of Lands,” Anderson said.

A March 2023 news release from nan BLM says nan institution is readying to “actively excavation successful 20-acre blocks and concurrently reclaim nan antecedently mined 20-acre artifact to minimize nan full area of disturbance astatine immoderate 1 time.”

“About 51 acres of further disturbance associated pinch access, storage, infrastructure facilities, and motortruck loadout would beryllium for nan life of nan quarry and would beryllium reclaimed erstwhile operations cease,” nan news merchandise says.

Anticipated disturbance of nan scenery brings nan full area of effect to 262 acres. The lifespan of nan quarry will past 100 years.

A website devoted to locating mining claims shows Burns Industries has 136 progressive mining claims successful that area.

EastIdahoNews.com will supply further accusation erstwhile it becomes available.