Mining tensions rise in Black Hills as communities face new exploration

RAPID CITY – The Black Hills region is experiencing an unprecedented wave of mining and resource exploration activities, with multiple projects raising significant environmental and community concerns.

There is another project comment period underway with a final July 21 date quickly approaching. The Black Hills National Forest has received more than 2,000 comments. This is one from Kelsey Vetter who said “Protecting Black Hills is deeply important to me as a non-Native American. I urge that this section of land, so important to Native nations, remain under protection. I oppose the Categorical Exclusion and demand a full Environmental

Impact Statement. The government must not “fast-track” this project, as doing so would mean causing untold harm to the environs, and if completed, this project would bring potential extreme harm to water, wildlife, recreation, and cultural sites. I request that the Forest Service extend the comment period by 60 days so that more Americans may have a chance to voice their opinions on this important issue. I stand with the Water Protector Legal Collective.”

And this one from Molly Morabito, who wrote, “I am writing to OPPOSE the Ponderosa project. Once again, Tribal treaty rights, religious freedom for Indigenous Peoples’, environmental safety, South Dakota’s tourism economy, and world-class outdoor recreation opportunities are being put at risk, to continue favoring a mining industry that makes up 1% of South Dakota’s overall economy and has polluted our waterways numerous times.”

Susan McBain wrote of the threat to water in Spearfish Canyon and disruption to the scenic byway and “treasured public recreation space, endangering of Bridal Veil Falls, wildlife habitat and rare plants.”

The Black Hills Clean Water Alliance (BHCW) at their monthly mining update highlighted the complex landscape of proposed mining ventures, revealing a coordinated effort by local activists to monitor and challenge potential environmental threats.

Lilias Jarding, Executive Director of the BHCWA, said that Dakota Gold is expanding its footprint and has been aggressively pursuing investment and expansion, recently hosting an investor webinar that outlined ambitious plans for resource extraction. “They’re trying to get people to invest. So, they’re talking about the fantastic project they’re going to have and how much money it will bring in.” She said they were talking about starting up with their permit application process, but said it keeps getting delayed perhaps suggesting ongoing scrutiny and potential regulatory challenges. “The thing about that is, that it keeps getting pushed back. So we are keeping an eye on that.”

The project’s proximity to critical water systems, particularly Spearfish Creek, has raised alarm among local environmental advocates. Of particular concern is the project’s drainage pattern directly impacting Spearfish Creek and extending into surrounding areas like Maitland.

“They have been doing a lot of drilling in Maitland,” said Jarding. “It appears that the company’s strategy mirrors historical mining approaches in the region, with potential gradual expansion from initial drilling sites. My expectation would be that they will apply for a permit in the Richmond Hill area and at some point, the mine will expand into the Maitland area.” Jarding said this is just speculation. “But just looking at what is going on and looking at the way the companies operate in the Black Hills in terms of mining.” She said Wharf Mine was a good example.

“It started out small and keeps expanding.”

Maitland is on False Bottom Creek about 2.5 miles northwest of Central City and southwest of Spearfish. False Bottom Creek is named for the fact there is a losing stream along some of its course. A losing stream, sometimes called a disappearing stream, influent stream or sinking river is a stream or part of a stream where a significant amount of its water flows underground into the bedrock aquifer, according to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. These are areas where the bedrock has been dissolved over time especially in areas featuring sinkholes, caves and springs.

The South Dakota Department of Natural Resources identified increased selenium levels in the creek in 2014 and officially listed False Bottom Creek as impaired in their 2022 water-quality report.

Jarding said she got confirmation with the state that the main thing the project does is goes down into Cleopatra Creek area and into Spearfish Canyon.

Cleopatra Creek is known for its tributaries, including the East Branch Cleopatra Creek, and eventually empties into Spearfish Creek. The creek is home to the Devil’s Bathtub a popular swimming and hiking spot. There’s fishing for brook, brown, and rainbow trout. A recent study, Rainbow Trout Redd Locations found the latter spawning on Cleopatra Creek.

Upstream was Cleopatra Mine, which operated for more than forty years, producing silver, lead, copper, antimony and gold, until it closed due to WWII.

The proposed Basin Uranium Chord project, now partnered with Clean Nuclear Energy Corporation (CNEC), has become a focal point of community resistance. A state pre-hearing scheduled in August will feature 35 individual, organizational, and governmental interveners challenging the proposed uranium exploration near Edgemont.

Rebecca Terk from Dakota Rural Action (DRA) said this project is on state lands just adjacent to Craven Canyon north of Edgemont. She said they have been preparing intervenors for an anticipated hearing. “We are hoping to get a change of venue to locations more accessible to impacted communities like Hot Springs, Pine Ridge, or Rapid City.” She said the involvement of local elders, particularly from the Wounded Knee area, underscores the cultural and environmental significance of the proposed mining site.

The Ponderosa gold drilling project by Solitario Resources represents another significant challenge. Jarding said the bulk of it is south of Cheyenne Crossing, south and west along Highway 85 area. Proposing 49 drill pads across two distinct areas, the project seeks a categorical exclusion from comprehensive environmental impact assessment. Community activists are mobilizing to challenge this approach, emphasizing the project’s potential impact on sensitive ecological areas.

The Forest Service is currently reviewing over 2,000 public comments submitted in response to the Ponderosa project, indicating substantial community engagement and concern. Activists are encouraging continued public participation, with comments due by July 21st.

The mining discussions extend beyond local boundaries, with participants highlighting similar challenges in neighboring Wyoming. Emerging discussions about nuclear reactors, data center energy needs, and uranium processing are creating a complex regional landscape of resource extraction and environmental protection.

There have been efforts there to provide exceptions to the state’s longstanding ban against storing radioactive nuclear power plant waste. Jarding said there is a push for nuclear power expansion because AI data centers require a lot of power as do many cryptocurrencies.

Participants stressed the need for continuous communication, urging community members to report local developments and maintain a unified front against potentially destructive resource extraction projects.

To be clear, there are three projects in and around Spearfish Canyon: the Golden Crest Project on the west side of Spearfish Canyon, the Ponderosa Project described as near Cheyenne Crossing, and the Dakota Gold Projects, while not directly in the canyon, Dakota Gold has two projects in the Maitland area.

Jarding said the Black Hills region stands at a critical juncture. The proposed mining projects represent significant economic opportunities but also pose substantial environmental and cultural risks.

(Contact Marnie Cook at cookm8715@gmail.com).

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