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<br />Wilderness values would be protected <br />throughout the entire WSA although valid <br />existing rights would allow for the <br />development of about five small scale <br />mines. This could result in the loss of <br />wilderness values on about 3,000 acres. <br /> <br />Alunite would not be developed resulting in <br />the potential of 4 m11lion tons of alunfte <br />ore not being produced annually. With the <br />exception of projected valid rights the <br />high potential for discovery in this WSA <br />would be foregone. <br /> <br />The recreation setting would continue to be <br />a primitive backcountry type throughout the <br />WSA. Without alunite development use would <br />increase in the eastern portion of the <br />WSA. Overall the current use of about 5000 <br />RUDs would increase by about 9 percent <br />annually. <br /> <br />No Wilderness Alternative <br /> <br />All 40,575 acres would be recommended as <br />nonsuitable for wilderness designation. <br /> <br />None of wilderness values in the WSA would <br />receive legislative protection. As a <br />resu1 t of projected mi nera1 acti vi ty <br />wilderness values would be lost on about <br />11,000 acres although in the long term <br />wilderness values are expected to be lost <br />on the entire 40,575 acres. <br /> <br />The entire WSA would remain open to mineral <br />entry. Development is projected to occur <br />in Cooper and S11 ver Creek, along the <br />northern edge of the WSA and for a1unfte on <br />Red Mountain. <br /> <br />The recreation setting would continue to be <br />a primitive backcountry type except in the <br />vicinity of the alunite mine where it would <br />change to one dominated by the sights and <br />sounds of mi ning acti vfty. Use wou1 d <br />increase by 5 percent annually. <br /> <br />Alunite development would disturb soils on <br />585 acres. impact water qual fty and <br /> <br />displace 50 to 90 deer and 100 to 130 elk. <br /> <br />Wilderness Manageability Alternative <br /> <br />This alternative would recommend 37,530 <br />acres suitable and 3,045 acres nonsuitable <br />for wilderness designation. <br /> <br />Wilderness values on 37,530 acres would be <br />a fforded the protecti on provi ded by <br />wilderness designation. However, as a <br />result of valid existing rights, some <br />mineral development could potentially occur <br />within this area in S11 ver and Cooper <br />Creeks. Although the projected mines would <br />only disturb 20 to 40 acres they could <br />impact wilderness values on approximately <br />2.000 acres in those drainages. Wilderness <br />values would potentially be lost on all of <br />the 3,045 acres recommended nonsuitable as <br />a result of two small scale mines and <br />continued mineral exploration. <br /> <br />Except as noted above mineral exploration <br />and development would be precluded On the <br />37,530 acres recommended suitable. The <br />high potential for discovery in this <br />portion of the WSA would be foregone. The <br />3,045 nonsuftable acres would remain open <br />to entry. Alunfte would not be developed <br />resulti ng in the potenti a1 4 mill ion tons <br />of al uni te cre not bei ng produced <br />annually. The recreation settin9 would <br />continue to be a primitive backcountry <br />type. Use of this area for hiking, camping <br />and mountain c1imbin9 would increase by <br />about 9 percent annually. <br /> <br />Conflict Resolution Alternative II <br /> <br />This alternative would designate 11,140 <br />acres as suitable and 29,435 acres <br />nonsuitable for wilderness. <br /> <br />Wilderness values on 11,140 acres would be <br />afforded the protecti on provi ded by <br />wilderness designation. However, as a <br />result of valid existing rights, some <br />mineral development could potentially occur <br />within this area in Silver and Cooper <br />Creeks. Although the projected mines would <br /> <br />iv <br />