An aerial view of the Dawson and Windy Gulch areas southwest of Canon City where Zephyr Minerals will explore for gold on some previously explored mining claims southwest of Canon City. Temple Canyon Road is pictured winding through the region.
The Fremont County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday approved a Conditional Use Permit to allow a Canadian mining firm to explore for gold in a previous gold mining area southwest of Cañon City. Zephyr Gold USA plans to conduct surface excavation and drilling exploration in two areas previously permitted for gold mining in the 1980’s and 1990’s known as the Dawson Mountain Reserve and the Windy Gulch Reserve.
The first phase will get underway immediately and run through April for mineral resource delineation and drilling. Phase 1 is to confirm what was already done in two rounds of exploration in the 1980s and 1990s. Depending on the results of that phase, there is a second phase which is preliminary economic analysis that would happen this summer. Zephyr intends to drill 15 holes from five sites and if the exploration moves into Phase 2 of surface exploration no more than two acres would be disturbed. At the public hearing Jim Javernick of Cañon City spoke in favor of the permit saying the economics now makes more exploration feasible. Javernick said that with the price of gold being what it is today along with the new mining technology it makes gold mining in that area west of Dawson Ranch economically feasible compared to what was done in the 1980’s. The entire area of the mining claims for the Dawson Mountain Reserve and Windy Gulch covers 593 acres.
The Board of Commissioners Tuesday unanimously approved a resolution stating their unequivocal support of Second Amendment Constitutional rights. Commission Chair Debbie Bell said there had been a number of inquiries from local citizens as to whether the Fremont Commissioners would take a stand of support of 2nd Amendment Rights to bear arms similar to what other Colorado Boards of Commissioners have done. Commissioner Tim Payne said it’s important that Colorado legislators and Colorado’s U.S. Representatives and Senators understand what the sentiment is at the local level when it comes to threatening the rights of citizens through new gun legislation.
Jane Mannon of the Cripple Creek & Victor Gold Mine presented an annual report to the Commissioners on mining activities and the impact on Fremont County. Mannon said of the 504 gold mine employees, 119 of them have addresses in Fremont County with annual compensation to those Fremont County employees totaling $9.8 million. Mannon said the total average annual salary and benefits for a gold mine employee is $80,000.
Mannon said the most significant change coming in 2013 at the Cripple Creek & Victor Gold Mine is another realignment of Colorado Highway 67 between Cripple Creek and Victor. She said the highway will be relocated where it currently passes the historic high-wall of old mine tailings. She said the long winding curve will be eliminated and the highway straightened down the hillside. Mannon said work began in January and should be completed by next September.
In other business at Tuesday’s meeting the Commissioners:
- Appointed Richard Jacobson of Florence to a seat on the Fremont Heritage Commission filling a vacancy caused by the resignation of Margaret Storm;
- Appointed Michael Pullen of Cañon City to a three year term on the Fremont County Building Code Board of Appeals and appointed Marvin Dornhecker of Cañon City to serve as an alternate on that board;
- Heard an annual review of activities at the John C. Fremont Library District;
- Received an annual report from the Fremont County Tourism Council;
- Approved an intergovernmental agreement with the Cañon City Fire Protection District intended to coordinate the stages and restrictions under any fire bans with the Fremont County Sheriff’s Department;
- Appointed Cherry Jones to a seat on the Penrose Library District Board of Trustees.