Spokane---Revett Minerals today released an independently conducted technical review of a sinkhole at its Troy mine which concludes the sinkhole development was not related to previous mining activity.

 

“We said all along people should not speculate nor jump to premature conclusions until the facts were established,” said Carson Rife, Vice President of Operations.  “This independent report belies charges made almost immediately by our Rock Creek proposal’s critics that this validated their false charges regarding our proposed project,” he added.

 

The 18-page report was conducted by the independent firm of Call & Nicholas, based in Tucson, Arizona, and was written by Paul Cicchini, Vice President of the firm.

 

Mr. Cicchini noted that it was impossible to completely rule out any connection, but said all the evidence pointed to no relationship.  “It appears much more likely that the surface sinkhole was the result of collapse and erosion of surface colluvium into a void along a dilated segment of an east-west trending structure.”  His report noted that the critics were quick to jump on a north/south trending fault structure in the areas as the cause.

 

As Mr. Cicchini wrote, “a cursory examination of the situation at Troy would lead to a quick conclusion that the sinkhole development was directly related to mining.  However, upon closer examination, none of the pieces of the puzzle fit together.”

 

He then cites six key facts that drive and support a conclusion of no relationship.

 

“Science and facts are what should drive the debate regarding Rock Creek,” Rife stated, adding, “not misinformation or patently incorrect statements which our critics are all too prone to employ.”  “Rock Creek has specific safeguards built into the project in the form of buffer zones around lakes and outcrop areas along with avoidance of fault structures to eliminate subsidence potential.”

 

For further information contact:                                Carson Rife  509-921-2294

 

To read the Call & Nichols report, follow the link below:
Troy Sinkhole Evaluation - prepared by Call & Nicholas, Inc. (1.3 MB)

 

To view a presentation made to the Montana Department of Environmental Quality ("MDEQ") and the U.S. Forest Service ("USFS"), follow the link below:

Genesis Inc. - Troy Mine: Overview of Sinkhole as provided to MDEQ and USFS (4.4 MB)