VANCOUVER, BC--(Marketwired - June 05, 2017) - Midas Gold Corp. (TSX: MAX) (
"The notice of intent represents another milestone for the Stibnite Gold Project and Midas Gold," said Laurel Sayer, President & CEO of Midas Gold Idaho, Inc. "During the next 45-days, public participation is essential. We encourage interested parties, stakeholders and community members to share their comments, opinions and thoughts about our plan to restore and redevelop the site with the U.S. Forest Service."
Coordinated Review Process
Before issuing the NOI, the USFS, the United States Army Corps of Engineers ("USACE") and the Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") agreed to cooperate in evaluating and preparing a single EIS for the Stibnite Gold Project. As such, the Payette National Forest Office of the USFS is the lead agency, USACE will participate to ensure the EIS supports the Department of the Army under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act ("CWA") and the EPA will participate to ensure the EIS could support a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System ("NPDES") Permit under Section 402 of the CWA.
"The agreement to harmonize federal reviews is a clear commitment to an efficient and timely process," said Ms. Sayer. "Midas Gold is encouraged that the federal agencies have agreed to coordinate the permitting process under one Environmental Impact Statement. This approach ensures that every standard and requirement of the National Environmental Policy Act ('NEPA') is adhered to while reducing time lost to redundant procedure. We believe this will lead to a better, more thorough, evaluation of the Stibnite Gold Project."
The 45-day scoping period will run from June 5 to July 20, during which time the USFS will encourage and collect feedback from the public. Meetings for the public to learn more about the project will be held in late June in Cascade, McCall and Boise, Idaho. Officials at the USFS launched a website to collect public comments at http://www.fs.usda.gov/goto/payette/StibniteGold. Comments may also be mailed to Payette National Forest, ATTN: Forest Supervisor Keith Lannom - Stibnite Gold EIS, 500 N. Mission St. Bldg 2, McCall, ID 83638, or sent via email with a subject line reading "Stibnite Gold EIS Scoping Comment" to comments-intermtn-payette@fs.fed.us, or faxed to 1-208-634-0744.
After evaluating feedback received during the scoping period, cooperating agencies will prepare the draft EIS. Interested parties may comment again once the draft EIS is published, which is expected around Q2 2018.
Warrant Exercise
Midas Gold Corp. also announces that 99.7% of the C$0.60 warrants that were originally issued on May 20, 2015 have been exercised, resulting in proceeds to the Company of C$5.7 million. A total of 3,945,475 warrants for proceeds of C$2.4 million had been exercised prior to the Company's last quarterly report (March 31, 2017) and the remaining 5,587,333 warrants, for proceeds of C$3.4 million were exercised subsequent to quarter end.
"We are encouraged by the continued support of our shareholders," said Stephen Quin, President & CEO of Midas Gold Corp. "The proceeds from the exercise of the warrants will be used to advance our twin objectives of completing a feasibility study on the Stibnite Gold Project and advancing the Project through the regulatory process so that the full benefits of the proposed site restoration and redevelopment can be delivered."
Project Background
In September 2016, Midas Gold Idaho, Inc. submitted the PRO for the restoration, re-development and operation of the Stibnite Gold Project in Valley County, Idaho. The PRO was deemed administratively complete by the U.S. Forest Service in December 2016.
Details of previous news releases, the PRO and technical studies can be found filed under Midas Gold's profile on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) or at www.midasgoldcorp.com.
About Midas Gold and the Stibnite Gold Project
Midas Gold Corp., through its wholly owned subsidiaries are focused on the exploration and, if warranted, site restoration and development of gold-antimony-silver deposits in the Stibnite-Yellow Pine district of central Idaho that are encompassed by its Stibnite Gold Project. Midas Gold Idaho, Inc. operates the project on behalf of Midas Gold Corp.'s other subsidiaries that own the mineral rights that comprise the Stibnite Gold Project.
