Where the mountain meets the moment
Written by:
Tuula Rebhahn
Most Applegaters have heard by now that there’s a serious threat of nickel mining coming to the Klamath-Siskiyous, specifically the Illinois Valley region. As I look out my office window here at Siskiyou Field Institute, I can almost throw a stone to one of the mining claims, a site on our beloved Eight Dollar Mountain.
The nickel in this region occurs in laterite deposits—ancient, deeply weathered soils that contain relatively low concentrations of nickel, typically less than one percent by weight. Because the metal is dispersed through so much earth, extracting it generally requires disturbing vast areas of land and processing enormous volumes of material.
Though we don't yet know exactly how any future project would process the ore, industrial nickel mining commonly involves either high-temperature smelting or chemical extraction methods such as heap leaching, in which crushed rock is stacked into large piles and treated with chemical solutions to dissolve the metal. Either approach carries significant implications for the earth beneath our feet and the air we breathe. It also brings roads, heavy equipment, truck traffic, dust, noise, habitat fragmentation, and risks to streams that support salmon and other native species.
This is not a distant proposal; it is a process already underway. Exploration crews are testing soils for nickel, while companies recruit investors. Meanwhile, recycled nickel, which can be recovered from stainless steel and other products, contains far higher concentrations of usable metal than these naturally low-grade ores.
Oregonians have seen what follows an industrial mining project. Near the small Umpqua Valley town of Riddle, a former nickel mine established more than a century ago continues to generate acid drainage and release toxic metals into nearby waterways. After the operating company disappeared, the public inherited the cost, and the EPA has spent decades overseeing cleanup efforts.
Siskiyou Field Institute is taking a clear stance against nickel mining in our backyard because we believe it threatens the landscapes, watersheds, and outdoor learning opportunities at the heart of our mission. As a science, education, and stewardship organization, we will focus on what we do best: gathering credible information and helping our community stay informed and engaged over the long term.
This is not a short campaign. Those who have fought previous large-scale mining proposals in the Klamath-Siskiyous know that success depends on patience, consistent communication with policy leaders, and community resolve. Sign up for updates through KS Wild (www.kswild.org/) and Siskiyou Field Institute (www.thesfi.org) to stay informed and take action when public environmental review and rulemaking processes start to happen this fall and winter.
What happens next for Eight Dollar Mountain will be shaped, in part, by how well we understand what is at stake—and how willing we are to stand together in response.
Tuula Rebhahn
Executive Director
Siskiyou Field Institute