Additional Coverage:
A South Dakota mining company has decided to halt its graphite drilling project in the Black Hills following strong opposition from Native American tribes and local advocacy groups.
In a letter obtained by the Indigenous rights organization NDN Collective, Rapid City-based Pete Lien & Sons informed the U.S. Forest Service on Thursday that it is withdrawing its plan of operations for the drilling project and does not plan to submit a new proposal.
The project faced criticism due to its close proximity to Pe’Sla, a sacred meadow in the Black Hills where Sioux tribes conduct ceremonies and prayers throughout the year. The area is also significant as grazing land for buffalo.
Neither the Forest Service nor Pete Lien & Sons responded to requests for comment on Friday afternoon.
Legal challenges played a key role in the project’s suspension. Nine tribes from South Dakota, North Dakota, and Nebraska filed a lawsuit against the Forest Service, accusing it of violating the National Historic Preservation Act and the National Environmental Policy Act by approving permits without conducting an environmental review.
Additionally, NDN Collective and several environmental organizations filed a separate lawsuit arguing that the Forest Service improperly exempted the project from environmental review requirements. A temporary restraining order was issued on Monday, halting drilling activities for two weeks.
NDN Collective described the decision to cancel the project as a significant victory, saying it provides a “blueprint for future land defense fights.”
The Black Hills, known for its pine and spruce-covered hills and landmarks such as Mount Rushmore, have long been a source of conflict between mining companies and Indigenous tribes. The Sioux consider this land unceded territory.
The 1868 Treaty of Fort Laramie recognized the Black Hills as belonging to the Sioux tribes, but the U.S. government seized the land following the discovery of gold. While the Supreme Court has awarded financial compensation to the tribes, they have rejected it, continuing to assert their claim to the land.