BREAKING NEWS:

Another gold exploration company has come to the Black Hills. It is named Big Rock Exploration, and it is from Minnesota. This is an inexperienced company that wants to prove it can explore by looking for gold in the Black Hills. The site where they want to explore is right by the inlet to Pactola Reservoir, which Rapid City uses for its water.

CALL TO ACTION! Act now! Get on the phone or e-mail your Tribal Council, State Legislators, City Council, and County Commission. Tell them to actively oppose gold exploration in the central Black Hills. We don’t need talk. We need immediate action.

F3 Gold is the company that holds the mining claims where Big Rock Exploration wants to explore for gold in the central Black Hills. There are 2485 active F3 Gold mining claims in the Black Hills in Lawrence, Custer, and Pennington Counties. Big Rock Exploration wants to explore by Silver City. They may not control all F3 Gold claims.

There are 14 claims within the section (1 mile square) that includes Silver City. These claims are to the west of and include the area where Rapid Creek forms the inlet to Pactola Reservoir. This poses a major threat to Pactola, if exploration occurs. And Pactola Reservoir is where Rapid City gets its water, as well as being a popular recreation site.

Along the north side of Pactola Reservoir, there are 53 claims in the sections that touch the water (i.e., within 1 mile of the lakeshore).

Along Rapid Creek and just above the inlet (within 4 or 5 miles), there are another 79 claims. Some are clearly very close to the Creek.

Note: Big Rock is circulating a map, but it doesn’t show all claims. It just shows two small areas on Forest Service land where it wants to explore. For recent information and maps click the button below.