A proposed gold exploration project in the northern Black Hills of South Dakota has received 1,774 written responses, many of which state that drilling would threaten Spearfish Canyon.
Solitario Resources, a Colorado company, plans to build 49 drill sites on government land. Many of these sites are located 13 miles south of Spearfish and just above and beyond the eastern edge of a canyon segment extending southwest from Cheyenne Crossing. The company will examine core samples from the drilling to determine the potential for a mine.
The U.S. Forest Service must permit mineral exploration under the General Mining Law of 1872, which is federal land not closed to mining or exploration. After a preliminary analysis of the project plan, the Forest Service stated that the project likely won’t require environmental intervention. The opposition argues that the site’s culture and geology warrant further environmental assessment.
The Forest Service received written comments during the recent public comment period.
Spearfish Mayor John Senden and the City Council stated in a July 21 opposition resolution that the drill sites are in the Spearfish Creek watershed, a critical recharge area for the Madison Aquifer, which provides water to the city. The resolution stated that the city opposes the project without understanding the environmental impact.
Some articles have raised concerns about drilling near the valley’s small cliffs and whether it could cause rockfall.
The Norbeck Society, a local conservation association, said that Forest Services should “take a closer look” at the project’s environmental impact.
Some of the proposed drill sites are near trails that commenters said are used annually by hikers, hunters, and off-road drivers. Commenters stated that Solitario’s plan would disrupt the tranquil area.
Cody Gruening, president of the South Dakota Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, wrote, “Our organization exists to preserve the natural heritage of hunting and fishing outdoors, and we do so by actively caring for the wild public lands, water, and animals that make these traditions possible. Therefore, we are concerned about the impact this project will have on the ecological, recreational, and cultural integrity of the Northern Black Hills.”
After the plan was approved in April 2024, the company drilled 11 holes last year in another area near the canyon, averaging 1,300 feet deep.
Solitario Resources Chief Executive Officer Chris Herald said concerns about water impacts are unfounded and no further scientific investigation is needed. He said drill holes are filled before the rig leaves the drill site, and the company has a $125,000 reclamation bond to help address any problems.
Solitario is one of several areas in the Black Hills that have been continuously mined since the late 1800s. The Wharf Mine has been the only active lead gold mine in the area since the closure of the larger Homestake Mine.
The Forest Service will now review the comments and decide whether to approve the plan with changes to mitigate the impacts cited by opponents, or whether there are sufficiently specific circumstances to require environmental support.
