Mill manager Dave Jensen said that the facility would begin daily operation in the next two to four weeks and would employ about 200 people at full capacity.

Jensen added that when the mill is up and running, the revenue generated from the gold and silver that is extracted from the ore on the site would be sufficient to pay the day-to-day operational costs of the facility.

"This plant is really our springboard for growth to fund the cost of development," he said. The company hopes to identify other large veins of ore over the next five to ten years, which could mean building another larger facility and hiring even more workers.

Dotson said that copper produced at the mill would be sent to the marketplace where it would be used for piping, wiring and numerous other commercial applications.

The 51-year old father of three and grandfather of four said that mining has been in his family since the 1850s. In fact, he spent the first five years of his life living at the Gold Crown Mine in Beaver County, he noted.

On this momentous day, he shook countless hands and received dozens of heartfelt hugs from local residents who expressed gratitude for his efforts in bringing good-paying jobs and hope to the downtrodden local economy.

Dotson said that while his two-decade struggle to acquire the necessary land rights to mine the ore and accumulate the $60 million of investor support to get the mill project built has been challenging, he was glad that future generations would be able to reap the long-term fruits of his labor.

"In 10 years, I want my grandkids to graduate from high school and have a good job," he said

E-MAIL: jlee@desnews.com