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During tonight's council of commissioners meeting, H. Roy Shipes, President and CEO of International Silver Inc. in Tucson, presented commissioners with a proposal that would re-introduce underground mining to Butte.

The company proposes to mine primarily for silver and zinc.

Shipes is proposing to reconstruct the Badger, Anselmo and Kelly mines. A feat he says would alone, bring 350 jobs to Butte.

Shipes says the mining itself would bring 200 jobs to Butte.

Commissioners acknowledged the obvious economic opportunities this could bring to Butte but expressed major concerns over the impact this could have on residents.

In 2011, the United States produced approximately 1,160 tons of silver with an estimated value of $1.27 billion dollars.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, 2012 mineral commodity summaries, the demand for silver in industrial applications continues to increase.

The value and production of zinc however, saw a slight decrease in 2011. The total value for zinc mined domestically in 2011 was about $1.78 billion dollars.

KXLF's Shannon Davis is still at the courthouse and will update you as more information becomes available.