Chromite Construction starts at Bunker Hill work site

COOS BAY, Ore., Mar. 23, 2010 - The hour glass of sand has finally fallen in favor of Oregon Resources Corp., as they begin construction on their mineral processing plant in Bunker Hill.
Driving in pilings and pushing dirt around is the first major action this project has seen in nearly twenty years. It was tabled for more than a decade before they recently got the go ahead by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to mine Chromite and other minerals here on the South Coast.
According to Chief Operating Officer, Dan Smith, this $75 million project as a whole took some time to coordinate but the permits themselves actually came sooner than expected.
"Average mine in the us takes 7 years a permit. We got this done in 3 years, primarily because of the process we're doing and how innocuous this operation is," said Smith. He adds, "There's no chemicals except for the polymers for water treatment. You're putting the majority of the material right back in the hole, most mines, you leave a hole."
The Bunker Hill work site will eventually house two processing plants and a warehouse, where, they'll separate, package and ship their sand material. But the mining itself will happen about 19 miles South, off Seven Devils Road.
Smith admits that it's likely to create a ripple on the roadways, as well as among neighbors.
"There will be noise out there. It will be similar to the Logging Operations, even though those are intermittent, this will be continuous. So that will be 8 trucks total, 24 hours a day. The Mining Operation will be generally during the weekday only."
Construction is expected to be complete by early 2011. And according to Smith, should create about 75 family wage jobs.