Black Butte Copper is one of the highest-grade copper deposits being developed in the world.
Project permitting for mining of the Johnny Lee Deposit at Black Butte was completed in April 2020, with the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (MT DEQ) releasing the Final EIS on 13 March 2020 and issuing a positive Record of Decision to grant a Mine Operating Permit on 9 April 2020. The MT DEQ issued the final permit on 17 August 2020, and Sandfire initiated Phase I construction.
A legal challenge was filed to the MT DEQ Record of Decision on 4 June 2020, in the 14th Judicial Court in Meagher County, Montana, against the MT DEQ and Sandfire America’s wholly owned subsidiary, Tintina Montana Inc. On April 8, 2022, Montana district court ruling found in favour of the plaintiffs which stopped further construction. Sandfire America and the MT DEQ appealed the ruling to the Montana Supreme Court and Oral Arguments were heard on 21 June 2023. A decision on the case is pending. |