Hiring for the Long Canyon project could begin in soon.
According to the Newmont website the Long Canyon mine is now listed which means could be accepting applications for the Long Canyon project soon.
In an earlier version of this story a month was given as the earliest possible date which may not be correct.
On January 9th the Long Canyon Mine project made is long awaited appearance in the Federal Register. Its appearance is the last step between the permitting phase and the construction phase of the mine.
Expected to take two years to build the initial project mine construction is expected to employ between 300 and 500 workers. According to Mary Korpi, Newmont’s Director of External Relations by March the project should be in full swing.
Already the mine’s impact has been felt albeit slightly in both Wendover and Wells.
“We have seen some impact already,” said Wells Mayor Layla Walz. “Most of the vacant real estate has been bought. And there has been a noticeable increase of interest by businesses in locating to Wells.”
Walz’ observations were echoed by Wells City manager Jolene Supp, West Wendover City Clerk Anna Bartlome and Wendover,Utah Mayor Mike Crawford. All stated that their respective towns had seen an economic bump in the last six to nine months.
Everyone but Crawford attributed the upswing to the new mine.
“Right now we are seeing the impact of the smaller mining projects to the south,” Crawford said Wednesday. “We will probably see much more of an impact later on when the construction starts. But I believe Wells could benefit first then Wendover.”
If Crawford’s prediction is right Wells would be grateful.
With less than a 1,000 population Wells was hard hit not only economically but also suffered biblical disasters like the earth quaked of 2008 and the range wild fires of 2006. Most of its historic down town was destroyed and even the two local brothel hit hard times.
“It is good to be able to welcome the good times especially after all we have been through,” Walz said.
While not suffering anywhere near Wells, Wendover, Utah and West Wendover Nevada could also use some large scale economic good news too.
West Wendover, Nevada has seen a general decline in the number of small businesses from a high of around 300 in 2003 to about half that a decade later.
With a population less than half of West Wendover, Wendover, Utah boasts about 180 business including 110 locally owned or operated said City Clerk Mariah Murphy.
120 miles to the south the city of Ely has about 300 businesses with a population about two thirds of West Wendover.
The dearth of private enterprise is most acute in the retail industry which apart from Smith’s Food Store is virtually nonexistent in West Wendover.
Purchases as simple as a computer printer ink, a telephone or even a coffee maker available literally in a half a dozen locations in communities of similar or even smaller sizes as Wendover, often necessitate a 240 mile round trip to Salt Lake City to the east or Elko to the west.
The new mine will not only create jobs but could also swell the population far beyond the current numbers.
And while rapid growth brings its own set of challenges most communities would rather deal with prosperity than stagnation.