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DEQ Releases Draft Environmental Assessment for a Proposed Exploration Project in Silver Bow County

  • Moira Davin
  • July 19 2021

HELENA—The Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is seeking public comment on a draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for a proposed exploration project near Walkerville, Mont. in Silver Bow County. The draft EA is specific to a new exploration project proposed by Butte Blackjack Operating, LLC.

DEQ received an application for an exploration license from Butte Blackjack Operating, LLC on June 15, 2021, to drill 37 exploration holes from 12 drill pads, and repair the Chief Joseph portal in order to extract 500 tons of material for metallurgical testing. The entire proposed project would be located on private land and disturb about 3.44 acres. In addition to the drilling and underground activities, Butte Blackjack Operating, LLC would use an existing road and overland travel to access the drill sites and construct 225 feet of new road between the Chief Joseph portal and the 21,000-cubic-yard waste rock pile. All disturbances would be reclaimed. An exploration license is limited to exploration projects and is not an operating permit to mine.

DEQ prepared a draft EA to analyze potential impacts from the proposed project. DEQ will accept public comments on the draft EA until end of business on Wednesday, Aug. 11, 2021. To submit public comment or view the document, please visit the DEQ website at: https://deq.mt.gov/public/publiccomment

If a proposed project meets the requirements of 82-4-332, Montana Code Annotated, DEQ must issue the exploration license. The draft EA is not a decision document and is a disclosure of the potential impacts from the project.

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