SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash. – Revett Silver Company announced today it has provided a second phase of funding totaling $118,000 for extension of the Montana Fish Wildlife & Parks (MFWP) Wildlife Conflict Specialist (WCS) position located in Libby, Montana.  This second phase of funding will allow the WCS position to continue for an additional year through June of 2009.  Revett previously provided $250,000 in funding to MFWP in February of 2007.

 

“We have provided this additional partial funding in order to jump start improving the status of grizzly bears in the Cabinet Yaak Ecosystem (CYE) even though we still have pending litigation that may impact our ability to start development work at Rock Creek,” said Bill Orchow, President and CEO of Revett, adding “This funding is only part of our total commitment for grizzly bear recovery efforts which will be fully funded once we get approval for work to start on the ground.”

 

Revett also reported MFWP has decided to move forward with filling the Law Enforcement Officer position previously funded by the firm as part of the Grizzly Bear Mitigation Plan associated with its Rock Creek Project located near Noxon, Montana.  Both of these positions are critical to the survival of grizzly bears in the CYE, according to independent experts.

 

According to Jim Williams, Regional Director for MFWP from Kalispell, “Both habitat conservation and grizzly bear conflict management are necessary to maintain the health of the Cabinet Yaak Ecosystem.  It’s an investment made by everyone.  Companies like Revett have the ability to operate in a semi-wild area while investing in, and contributing to, a long-term bear preservation effort.  They have made the commitment, and we at FWP will make sure Revett's resources directed at grizzly bear conservation and mitigation will achieve measurable results.”

 

Revett has completed the permitting of the Rock Creek Mine, located nearby in Sanders County and is currently progressing through ongoing litigation.  Rock Creek will be an underground copper-silver mine similar to the Troy Mine and will employ 250 to 300 workers.

 

The Troy Mine is located 15 miles southwest of Troy in Lincoln County, employing 180 workers which is operated by Genesis, Inc., a subsidiary of Revett Silver. 

 

For more information, contact: 

Bill Orchow or Carson Rife

Revett Minerals, 509-921-2294