What could be

Editorials - It's difficult for anyone not to get excited by the prospect that copper could be mined some day soon in St. Julien's. The McGrath brothers, who brought the discovery to light in last week's edition of the Pen, have obviously done their homework. They took samples of 'rusty rocks' retrieved from an abandoned mine shaft and determined they were eight per cent pure. Most mines require two to three per cent in a deposit, so the find caught the interest of an exploration company, Eagle Ridge Minerals Ltd.

As reported in the story, representatives of the company were in the area staking grids in the claim area. That work alone is worth $750,000, but there are plans to conduct exploratory drilling, possibly as early as this winter. The drilling comes with a price tag of $5-million, so this is not an idle venture.

At the risk of putting the proverbial cart before the horse, anyone who's in the mining business will tell you that enthusiasm has to be tempered with a healthy dose of caution. It sounds good, looks good and holds much potential, but a lot has to happen before the ore is extracted from the area and shipped elsewhere for processing. Still, there's a lot to ponder. What kind of impact would such a development have on communities that were decimated by the closure of the cod fishery and the resulting exodus of families? Is it possible that people would return to the area and go to work, build houses and fill schools, all of which would be fueled by St. Julien's and Grandois becoming a hotbed of mining activity?

The McGrath brothers think it's possible, but for now, it's still a dream they cling to. As the exploratory drilling takes place over the coming months, it seems it will become apparent in 2009 whether a mine is a real possibility. Expectations are high and anticipation is rising. Let's hope there's something positive to report soon on this exciting development.