Gold project developer Perpetua Resources, formerly Midas Gold, has reached agreement with the Nez Perce Tribe for a three-month stay of the tribe’s Clean Water Act lawsuit while the parties pursue a court-ordered dispute resolution process.
Perpetua is being sued by the Nez Perce Tribe over water quality concerns near the Stibnite gold project site, in Idaho, although the mining firm contends that the water issues stem from activities that occurred decades ago – before the company existed.
Perpetua said that the three-month litigation stay would allow the parties to work with a neutral judge or mediator to determine if there were grounds to work out a resolution of the lawsuit.
If developed, Stibnite would be a $1-billion construction investment, providing 500 direct jobs.