A new and very troubling exploratory drilling project has been proposed in the central Black Hills.
This is named the Rochford Mineral Exploratory Drilling Project (not the former Rochford gold project, now called the Bella project). It would involve exploration drilling for graphite, a mineral that is used for electric vehicle batteries, lubricants, other industrial purposes – and for pencils.
For more information about this project including the Plan of Operations click HERE.
Why is this troubling – even more troubling than some of the other projects we’ve opposed? Because it is immediately adjacent to – and some proposed drill pads might be at – Pe’ Sla. Pe’ Sla is a sacred site or homeland to which Lakota people return ceremonially multipal times throughout the year.
Ed Martley photo.
We can’t tell by the vague maps the mining company provide, but we now have a new map that does show some of the proposed drill pads are within the Pe’ Sla (/pay-shlaw/) boundary.
Click here to see our more detailed map and for more information.
This map of the north-central Black Hills shows the threat from Pete Lien & Sons’ proposed graphite exploratory drilling. This is an area southwest of Rochford and north of Deerfield Reservoir. It is directly along Castle Creek tributaries that are in the Rapid Creek watershed, which supplies water for Rapid City, Ellsworth Air Force Base, and communities and ranches downstream.
The solid yellow line shows a boundary for Pe’ Sla, a Lakota sacred site that is a critical part of annual observances, as well as being used at other times of the year. This boundary was set in a Memorandum of Understanding between the US Forest Service and tribal representatives in August 2024. The actual area that needs to be protected is substantially larger, as exploratory drilling involves noise, lights, and traffic — usually 24 hours a day. This would disrupt ceremonies, as well as wildlife in the area.
The brown hatching indicates that there are active mining claims in a quarter section of land (1/4 mile by 1/4 mile). The black hatching indicates the quarter sections where Pete Lien & Sons wants to place at least one drilling site. The company proposes 18 drilling sites, with drilling to as much as 1000 feet deep. There would also be 2 storage sites and almost a mile of new 15-foot-wide “overland routes.”
The drilling has been proposed by Pete Lien & Sons, a Rapid City company known locally for its large gravel pit in the west part of Rapid City, the resulting poor air quality, and an iron ore mine at Nemo.
The project would involve 18 drill pads, which could drill vertically and at an angle for up to 1000 feet, and two supply areas. Typically, a drill pad can be the base for up to 10 drill holes. Exploration could contaminate water in the upper Rapid Creek watershed, with some proposed drill pads very close to streams. And there is also the potential for contamination or cross-contamination of underground water sources.
Below are the Forest Service links for this Project.
- For more information about this project including the Plan of Operations click HERE.
- Comment page https://cara.fs2c.usda.gov/Public//CommentInput?Project=67838
- Reading Room page https://cara.fs2c.usda.gov/Public//ReadingRoom?Project=67838
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