The rugged wilderness of central Idaho is home to natural wonders, including the start of one of the longest salmon runs in the world. There's also a history of mining for critical minerals such as cobalt, which powers everything from wind turbines to smartphones.
A new report from Trout Unlimited, the National Wildlife Federation and Backcountry Hunters & Anglers stresses a balanced approach to mining that also protects special outdoor places.
David Willms, senior director of western wildlife for the National Wildlife Federation, said the Idaho area, including the Salmon River and Sawtooth Mountains, is like no other place in the country.
"There's more than local value, there's national value to keeping these places wild and undeveloped," Willms said. "And so, [we] just don't want to see any of those protections eroded for the sake of recovering critical minerals."
Nearly half of the nation's critical mineral deposits are within trout and salmon habitat, and 1-in-10 deposits lies beneath protected public lands, according to the report.
The report suggests any new mining sites be located far from critical fish and wildlife habitat. The groups also underscore the need for a transparent proposal process, where all stakeholders, including affected communities and indigenous tribes, have a seat at the table.
Ty Churchwell, mining coordinator for the Angler Conservation Program at Trout Unlimited, said they acknowledge the supply-chain issues for these critical minerals. But he said they're concerned about some of the Trump administration's policy decisions on mining.
"Some of them include fast-tracking permitting for new mine site proposals," Churchwell said. "I think the thing that's probably of most concern to us is opening up what are now currently protected public lands to critical mineral development."
The U.S. currently relies on imports for 31 of the 35 minerals listed by the federal government as critical, many coming from places that lack labor and environmental protections. Willms said the report isn't suggesting an end to mining, only that we can consider its future carefully.
"That could include developing new mines. The point is that it needs to be done in a responsible way and following certain tenets," he said.
The report offers several alternative options, such as using recycled material and substitutes for these critical minerals. It also suggests reprocessing old mine waste piles and ash material, while taking advantage of engineering advancements so that production isn't as reliant on mines.
