SECOND URANIUM EXPLORATION PROJECT THREATENS CRAVEN CANYON
A Canadian company has applied for a second time to explore for radioactive uranium at Craven Canyon in the southern Black Hills. This project is named the October Jinx Project, which is on federal land. It is part of the larger Chord Project. The company is named Clean Nuclear Energy Corporation (CNEC), which is a subsidiary of Nexus Uranium. (Note that nothing about nuclear energy is “clean,” including uranium drilling and mining.)
The U.S. Forest Service has requested public comments on this proposed project, with a due date of March 3, 2026, 11:59 pm (Mountain).
What’s so special about Craven Canyon?
Craven Canyon is a world-class cultural and historic site. It contains rock art and other artifacts that are 7,000+ years old. Many artifacts and sites of interest have been found in and around the Canyon, where people gather for ceremony and study. The October Jinx project would involve 17 drill pads with drilling depths down to 700 feet. Each drill site would use 5,000 to 10,000 gallons of water per day.
What are some potential impacts of the October Jinx Project?
As the U.S. Forest Service said in 2011, “…there is potential for damage of the unique values associated with this area from future mining activities.” ~ Environmental Assessment, Craven Canyon Mineral Withdrawal, June 2011, Page 10, Purpose and Need for Action. (NOTE: This mineral withdrawal was not approved. However, this Environmental Assessment (EA) has important information that might be used in your comment. If you do use any of the information from this EA, remember to cite that information with the page number, and attached the document to your comment.)
Click on one of the two pages below to learn more – talking points provided.
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