Washington County gypsum mine recommended for approval

A controversial proposal to build a gypsum mine southwest of St. George is moving on to its final phase of approval, after the Washington County Planning Commission voted Tuesday to recommend approval of a conditional-use permit for the project.

The proposed Good Earth Minerals mine would open five miles west of the SunRiver subdivision, on an 11-acre property, if it can pass one final hurdle next month — approval from the Washington County Commission. Company representatives say the mine could bring dozens of jobs to the area — up to 100 if a processing facility is built in the future — and a recent assessment from the Bureau of Land Management indicated the project would not significantly impact the area. The Spectrum