Sandfire Resources America Inc. Announces Win at the Montana Supreme Court with Complete Reinstatement of the Mine Operating Permit
26 Febrero 2024 - 6:35PM
Sandfire Resources America Inc. (“Sandfire
America” or the “Company”) announces the positive ruling by the
Montana Supreme Court which reversed a 2021 district court decision
and instructed the District Judge to have the Montana Department of
Environmental Quality (MT DEQ) to completely reinstate Tintina
Montana Inc.’s Mine Operating Permit, of the Black Butte Copper
Project.
The Montana Supreme Court granted the Company’s request for
summary judgement allowing Black Butte Copper to move forward with
construction of its highly engineered, underground copper mine. The
Company won on all counts in the Montana Supreme Court decision
with a 5-2 decision upholding the 2020 decision of the MT DEQ to
allow copper mining at the Black Butte Copper Project, overturning
a District Court ruling that had invalidated the mining permit.
The original suit was filed jointly against the Montana
Department of Environmental Quality and Tintina Montana Inc.
(“Tintina,” Sandfire America’s wholly owned subsidiary) on June
4th, 2020, and the Montana Supreme Court heard oral arguments on
the case on June 21, 2023. Additional intervenors in the suit
supporting the MT DEQ and Tintina, include Meagher County,
Broadwater County, and the Montana Department of Justice.
Lincoln Greenidge, CEO of Sandfire America shared, “Today’s
victory in the Montana Supreme Court is a validation of the
thoughtful and deliberate efforts of the Sandfire America team to
design a world-class, environmentally safe mining project from the
beginning. The fact is, ours is the most reviewed and examined
proposed project in the history of Montana mining. The Court record
stands at over 90,000 pages of testimony, information, and
analysis. We thank the justices for their ruling, and their ability
to recognize the amount of effort and extensive work that has gone
into this project. Now, we look forward to progressing the project
in a safe, responsible, and sustainable manner.”
Senior VP, Jerry Zieg concluded stating, “Tintina’s permit has
been diligently considered by the professional and hardworking
staff at the MT DEQ. It is a fantastic, well-designed project with
a plan centered around safety which is why we were successful
today. Over a decade ago, we set out to design a state of the art,
environmentally protective underground mining project, and this
decision is proof we’ve been successful.”
Black Butte Copper now has all permits to proceed with the
project. Stipulated agreements regarding water rights granted
through the Montana Department of Natural Resources and
Conservation (MT DNRC) for the project have been finalized with all
water rights being issued and available. There is a challenge to
the Montana Constitution’s definition of the “beneficial use of
water” using Black Butte Copper’s water use permit to challenge
this definition. This case does not currently affect the Company’s
water rights package. The challenge, naming both the MT DNRC and
Tintina Montana Inc., was appealed by objectors after their loss at
District Court and will be heard by Montana Supreme Court on
Friday, March 29, 2024.
Contact Information: Sandfire Resources America
Inc. Nancy Schlepp, VP of Communications and Government
RelationsMobile: 406-224-8180 Office: 406-547-3466 Email:
nschlepp@sandfireamerica.com
Jerry Zieg, Vice President of Exploration for
the Company, is a Qualified Person for the purposes of
NI 43-101 and has also reviewed and approved the information
of a scientific or technical nature contained in this news
release.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: Certain
disclosures in this document constitute “forward looking
information” within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation,
including statements related to the Company’s Mine Operating
Permit, the Company’s water rights , permitting timelines and the
Company’s plans for advancing the Black Butte Copper Project and
expected outcomes. In making these forward-looking statements, the
Company has applied certain factors and assumptions that the
Company believes are reasonable, including that the Company will
receive required regulatory approvals, that the Company will
continue to be able to access sufficient funding to execute its
plans, and that the results of exploration and development
activities are consistent with management’s expectations. However,
the forward-looking statements in this document are subject to
numerous risks, uncertainties and other factors, including factors
relating to the Company’s operation as a mineral exploration and
development company and the Black Butte Copper Project, that may
cause future results to differ materially from those expressed or
implied in such forward-looking statements, including that results
of exploration and development activities will not be consistent
with management’s expectations, delays in obtaining or inability to
obtain required government or other regulatory approvals or
financing, failure of plant, equipment or processes to operate as
anticipated, the risk of accidents, labor disputes, inclement or
hazardous weather conditions, unusual or unexpected geological
conditions, ground control problems, earthquakes, flooding and all
of the other risks generally associated with the development of
mining facilities. There can be no assurance that such statements
will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events
could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements.
Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on
forward-looking statements. The Company does not intend, and
expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to, update or
revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new
information, future events or otherwise, except as required by
law.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services
Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX
Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or
accuracy of this release.
Sandfire Resources America (TSXV:SFR)
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