The Idaho-Maryland Mining Corporation is in the process of permitting the reopening of the historic Idaho-Maryland Mine, located in Grass Valley, California. In its golden past, the Idaho-Maryland Mine was the second-largest underground gold mine in California, producing about 2.4 million ounces of gold from 1861 until 1956. It is adjacent to the historic Empire Mine, which was the largest operating underground gold mine in California. Empire Mine operated from 1850 until 1956, producing 5.8 million ounces of gold. The Grass Valley gold district has reportedly produced over 17 million ounces of gold from 1850 until the mid 1950's, and is considered to be one of the richest gold districts in North America. The mines shut down in the mid 1950's due to a low fixed gold price of $35.00 per ounce and rising labor costs after World War II.

In its golden future, the proposed Idaho-Maryland Project will be more than just a gold mine. It will include:

1. A combined gold and industrial mineral mine


2. A gold processing plant


3. An aggregate processing plant


4. A recycled stone and ceramics manufacturing plant


5. A Mining Education Center and Outdoor Mining Historical Display Park

The Project is an environmentally responsible, sustainable, mining processing, manufacturing complex that includes:

1. Brownfield Redevelopment


2. Smart Growth


3. Sustainable Development


4. Use of Green Recycling Technology and


5. Smart Energy Use

Project benefits include:

• Brownfield redevelopment of three legacy mine sites;


• Smart Growth with infill development, compact design, mixed land use, walk-ability, transportation choices, preservation of open space, development towards existing communities, and enhancement of the community;


• Sustainable development, including the three pillars of economic development, social development, and environmental protection;


• Use of a green recycling technology to eliminate the need for surface tailings impoundments and waste dumps typically associated with a gold mine;


• Smart energy use by combining a gold and industrial mineral mine, gold processing facility, aggregate processing facility, and recycled stone and ceramics plant into one single facility, greatly reducing energy requirements of separate, stand-alone operations;


• Clean up of historic mine tailings on the Idaho-Maryland site (listed as a California Envirostor site);


• Elimination of existing untreated mine water discharge into Wolf Creek;


• Preservation of Maidu history, the history of the California Gold Rush, the Idaho-Maryland Mine, and famous people associated with the Idaho-Maryland Mine through the Mining Education Center;


• Preservation of mining culture including the contribution of Cornish miners, Chinese miners, and other groups that helped develop Grass Valley through the Mining Education Center;


• Public education about the mining industry and its history, technology, equipment, etc. through the Mining Education Center and Outdoor Mining Historical Display Park;


• Support of community including non-profits, special interest groups, charities, sports teams, etc. through contributions including financial support, supply of materials and equipment, or through participation of mine employees;


• Support of community organizations such as the police and fire department through contributions including financial support, supply of materials and equipment, or through participation of mine employees;


• Creation of 500 direct permanent high paying jobs at full operation;


• Creation of 291 direct temporary high paying jobs at peak construction;


• High paying wages and benefits that flow through the community;


• Diverse job opportunities for professions, trades, equipment operation, and both skilled and unskilled labor;


• Youth employment (both graduate and non-graduate);


• Training programs to improve worker's skills;


• Direct opportunities for businesses to provide goods and services to the mine - purchase of fuel, concrete, hardware supplies, safety supplies, administrative supplies, use of hotels, use of restaurants, purchase of insurance, banking, heath, and other services, etc.;


• Indirect opportunities for businesses to provide goods and services to employees of the mine - housing purchases and rentals, purchase of food, cloths, hardware supplies, appliances, insurance services, banking services, use of restaurants, use of movie theatres, etc.;


• Economic diversity for the City of Grass Valley and Nevada County, including and increased an solid tax base (property tax, sales tax, etc.);


• Traffic improvements including a connector road between Idaho-Maryland Road and East Bennett Road (in the City of Grass Valley's 2020 General Plan) and realignment of Springhill Drive, Idaho-Maryland Road, and Centennial Drive Intersections (a major safety improvement);


• Installation of a Nevada Irrigation District potable water system for residents along East Bennett Road.


• Provision of a Mining Education Center and Outdoor Mining Display Park to promote tourism for the City of Grass Valley, Nevada County, and the State of California;


• An improved job/housing balance for the City of Grass Valley and Nevada County;


• Redevelopment of the project sites for industrial or business park use at the end of the project, bringing benefit to the City of Grass Valley, Nevada County, and the State of California after the mine closes;


• Funding of California's Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund at $5.00 per ounce of gold produced by the mine; and


• Tax revenue for California, and the United States (sales tax, corporate income tax, etc.).

To learn more about the project, please explore this web site. It has been prepared as part of IMMC's Community Outreach Program to inform people about the facts about the Project. If you have any questions, please contact us at the number or email address under the Contact Us tab.