THE PROBLEMS WITH GOLD EXPLORATION

• Exploration drilling takes place 24 hours a day, bringing noise, light, and traffic to the area and destroying the beauty and serenity of the central Hills.

• Ceremonial use of Pe' Sla, an area that is of critical historical and cultural significance to the Lakota, could become impossible.

• The lives of area residents will be changed dramatically.
  Mineral rights override suface rights

• Wildlife, hunting, fishing, hiking, ATV and horseback riding are disrupted.

• ATV trails and closed roads are being widened, making it dangerous for ATV recreation.

• The exploration takes place in the Rapid Creek watershed, threatening downstream users of the Creek, such as Johnson Siding, Dark Canyon, and Rapid City.

• Gold mining uses and pollutes large amounts of water.

• About 200 tons of rock must be dug up to produce just one gold ring.

• Cyanide is used to separate the gold from the rock.

• The Black Hills already has two Superfund sites that are former gold mining operations. Superfund sites are the most polluted places in the country. It is we, the taxpayers, who pay for Superfund clean-ups.

• The central Black Hills are currently a lively tourist location. Tourism revenue would go down or be eliminated, while the profits from mining would be exported to shareholders.

• It would take 36 minutes for a toxic spill from the mining area to reach Pactola Reservoir, a source of drinking water for Rapid City.

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WHAT IS THE LEGAL SITUATION?

• Exploratory drilling has been proposed on both private and Forest Service-controlled land.

• The SD Department of Environment and Natural Resources issued an exploratory drilling permit. Water permits for the drilling were issued without any public notice or opportunity for public input.

• The Forest Service should not allow drilling without assessing environmental, social, or economic impacts.

• Old mining laws need to be changed to make this process more open to the public and to protect our rights.