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Legal Battle Over Stibnite Gold Mine Continues, Injunction Filed with 9th Circuit by Staff CBS News, June 8, 2026

Perpetua Resources argues that
the mine is needed for national security

BOISE, Idaho (CBS2) -- Conservation groups have filed an appeal to stop construction at the Stibnite Gold Project, the latest in a years-long battle over the attempt to reopen the mine.

The Stibnite Gold Project, operated by Perpetua, is a project that has been in the works for several years, seeking to reopen the former mine. Conservation groups have fought the mine reopening since it was first proposed.

"Idahoans have worked for years to restore the amazing East Fork South Fork Salmon River and protect it from high-risk open-pit cyanide leach mining," said John Robison, Public Lands and Wildlife Director of the Idaho Conservation League. "The Stibnite Gold Project would cause irreparable harm to the watershed in violation of federal law. We won’t stand idly by while this important watershed is buried under hundreds of feet of toxic mine tailings."

Perpetua Resources argues that the mine is needed for national security, based on the antimony that the mine would produce. Antimony has several military applications, though opponents argue that the mine can only produce low-grade antimony, and even that would take several years before being available for potential military applications. The conservation groups that filed a lawsuit to halt construction say that the vast majority of the project's value comes from gold mining, not antimony, and therefore the Stibnite mine should not qualify as a national security need, which jumps several regulatory hurdles.

"It's disappointing that opponents continue trying to delay a project that is important to America's national security, Idaho's economy, and will bring environmental benefits to an abandoned mine site," says Jon Cherry, President and CEO of Perpetua Resources. "The construction work underway today is limited, carefully planned, and taking place largely in areas that have already been disturbed by past mining and wildfire activity. The Idaho District Court correctly recognized that the planned work does not create irreparable harm, and we are confident in that conclusion."

"Seeking an injunction is not a step we take lightly. We believe it is essential to prevent further damage to the surrounding environment while the court reviews the legality of the project," said Sydney Luvaas, Mining and Policy Manager for Idaho Rivers United. "The stakes for local water quality, wildlife and surrounding public lands are simply too high to ignore."

The district court declined to halt mine construction pending litigation on May 29, though the court said the Fish and Wildlife Service likely violated the Endangered Species Act in failing to protect wolverines and bull trout from mine construction.

Conservation groups are seeking an injunction from the Ninth Circuit to halt construction while the legal challenges play out in court.

Related Pages:
Nez Perce Tribe Files Federal Lawsuit Challenging Forest Service's Approval of the Stibnite Gold Project by Darlene Lambert, Big Country News, 2/29/25
Forest Service Sued Over Idaho Mine Plan by Brad Carlson, Capital Press, 2/20/25
U.S. Forest Service Approves Stibnite Gold Mine in Central Idaho by Clark Corbin, Idaho Capital Sun, 1/7/25
McCall says 'No' to Stibnite Mine Agreement by Monica Gokey, Boise State Public Radio, 1/9/19