Sandfire Resources America Inc. Announces Win at the Montana Supreme Court Regarding Water Rights Ruling
Sandfire Resources America has secured a significant legal victory at the Montana Supreme Court, which upheld a 2023 District Court decision regarding water rights for the Black Butte Copper Project. In a 5-2 decision on January 2, 2025, the Court affirmed that mine dewatering is not a beneficial use of water, maintaining longstanding water law in Montana.
The case originated from Tintina Montana's (Sandfire's subsidiary) application for a beneficial groundwater permit in September 2018, which was approved by the MT DNRC in March 2020. Despite challenges from environmental organizations, the decision was upheld through multiple legal stages.
This ruling follows a February Supreme Court decision that fully reinstated the company's permit. The company now holds all necessary permits to proceed with the feasibility work for the Black Butte Copper Project, marking a important step forward in project development.
Sandfire Resources America ha ottenuto una significativa vittoria legale presso la Corte Suprema del Montana, che ha confermato una decisione del 2023 del Tribunale Distrettuale riguardante i diritti idrici per il Progetto di Rame Black Butte. In una decisione 5-2 del 2 gennaio 2025, la Corte ha affermato che il drenaggio della miniera non è un uso benefico dell'acqua, mantenendo la storica legislazione in materia d'acqua del Montana.
Il caso è nato dalla richiesta di Tintina Montana (sussidiaria di Sandfire) per un permesso di sfruttamento delle acque sotterranee nel settembre 2018, che è stato approvato dal MT DNRC nel marzo 2020. Nonostante le sfide da parte delle organizzazioni ambientaliste, la decisione è stata confermata attraverso diverse fasi legali.
Questa sentenza segue una decisione della Corte Suprema di febbraio che ha ripristinato completamente il permesso dell'azienda. Ora, l'azienda detiene tutti i permessi necessari per procedere con i lavori di fattibilità per il Progetto di Rame Black Butte, rappresentando un passo importante nello sviluppo del progetto.
Sandfire Resources America ha conseguido una importante victoria legal en la Corte Suprema de Montana, que confirmó una decisión del Tribunal de Distrito de 2023 sobre los derechos de agua para el Proyecto de Cobre Black Butte. En una decisión de 5-2 el 2 de enero de 2025, la Corte afirmó que el drenaje de la mina no es un uso beneficioso del agua, manteniendo la legislación histórica sobre el agua en Montana.
El caso se originó a partir de la solicitud de Tintina Montana (subsidiaria de Sandfire) para un permiso de aguas subterráneas beneficioso en septiembre de 2018, que fue aprobado por el MT DNRC en marzo de 2020. A pesar de los desafíos de organizaciones ambientales, la decisión se mantuvo a través de múltiples etapas legales.
Esta resolución sigue a una decisión de la Corte Suprema en febrero que restableció completamente el permiso de la empresa. Ahora, la empresa posee todos los permisos necesarios para continuar con el trabajo de viabilidad para el Proyecto de Cobre Black Butte, marcando un avance importante en el desarrollo del proyecto.
샌드파이어 리소스 아메리카가 몬타나 대법원에서 중요한 법적 승리를 거두었습니다. 대법원은 블랙 부트 구리 프로젝트의 수자원 권한에 대한 2023년 지구 법원 결정을 유지했습니다. 2025년 1월 2일, 5-2의 결정으로 법원은 광산 배수는 수자의 유익한 사용이 아니라고 affirm하며 몬타나의 오랜 수자법을 유지했습니다.
이 사건은 샌드파이어의 자회사인 틴티나 몬타나가 2018년 9월 이익을 위한 지하수 허가 신청을 낸 것에서 시작되었으며, 이는 2020년 3월 MT DNRC에 의해 승인되었습니다. 환경 단체들의 도전에도 불구하고, 이 결정은 여러 법적 단계를 통해 유지되었습니다.
이 판결은 2월의 대법원 판결을 따릅니다. 해당 판결은 회사의 허가를 완전히 복원했습니다. 현재 회사는 블랙 부트 구리 프로젝트의 타당성 작업을 진행하기 위해 필요한 모든 허가를 보유하고 있으며, 이는 프로젝트 개발에 중요한 진전을 나타냅니다.
Sandfire Resources America a obtenu une victoire légale majeure devant la Cour suprême du Montana, qui a confirmé une décision de la Cour de district de 2023 concernant les droits d'eau pour le projet de cuivre Black Butte. Dans une décision de 5-2 rendue le 2 janvier 2025, la Cour a affirmé que le drainage minier n'est pas un usage bénéfique de l'eau, maintenant ainsi le droit de l'eau de longue date au Montana.
L'affaire a pris naissance suite à la demande de Tintina Montana (filiale de Sandfire) pour un permis d'eaux souterraines bénéfiques en septembre 2018, qui a été approuvé par le MT DNRC en mars 2020. Malgré les contestations d'organisations environnementales, la décision a été maintenue à travers plusieurs étapes juridiques.
Ce jugement fait suite à une décision de la Cour suprême de février qui a entièrement rétabli le permis de l'entreprise. L'entreprise détient désormais tous les permis nécessaires pour procéder aux travaux de faisabilité pour le projet de cuivre Black Butte, marquant une avancée importante dans le développement du projet.
Sandfire Resources America hat einen wichtigen rechtlichen Sieg vor dem Obersten Gerichtshof von Montana errungen, das eine Entscheidung des Bezirksgerichts von 2023 über Wasserrechte für das Black Butte Kupferprojekt bestätigt hat. In einer 5-2-Entscheidung am 2. Januar 2025 bestätigte das Gericht, dass das Entwässern von Bergwerken kein nützlicher Wassereinsatz ist und damit das langjährige Wasserrecht in Montana aufrechterhält.
Der Fall entstand aus dem Antrag von Tintina Montana (einer Tochtergesellschaft von Sandfire) auf eine nützliche Genehmigung für Grundwasser im September 2018, der im März 2020 vom MT DNRC genehmigt wurde. Trotz Herausforderungen durch Umweltorganisationen wurde die Entscheidung durch mehrere rechtliche Instanzen bestätigt.
Dieses Urteil folgt einer Entscheidung des Obersten Gerichtshofs im Februar, die die Genehmigung des Unternehmens vollständig wiederherstellte. Das Unternehmen hält nun alle erforderlichen Genehmigungen, um mit den Machbarkeitsarbeiten für das Black Butte Kupferprojekt fortzufahren, was einen wichtigen Schritt in der Projektentwicklung darstellt.
- Supreme Court victory secures water rights for Black Butte Copper Project
- Company now holds all necessary permits for project feasibility work
- Legal validation of operational framework through multiple court levels
- None.
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, Mont., Jan. 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sandfire Resources America Inc. (“Sandfire America” or the “Company”) announces a positive ruling for the Company by the Montana Supreme Court upholding a 2023 District Court decision regarding the water rights related to Tintina Montana Inc.’s Mine Operating Permit, of the Black Butte Copper Project.
The original suit was filed jointly against the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (“MT DNRC”) and Tintina Montana Inc. (“Tintina,” Sandfire America’s wholly owned subsidiary) in August 2022. As background, Tintina filed its application for a beneficial groundwater permit with the MT DNRC in September 2018. In March 2020, the MT DNRC determined that Tintina had satisfactorily met all the statutory criteria for the issuance of the Permit. The MT DNRC’s decision was upheld by a MT DNRC Hearing Examiner when challenged by five environmental organizations who filed objections to the Permit. The Objectors appealed the decision to the Montana district court, and on April 12, 2023, District Court Judge Hayworth ruled that the DNRC and the Hearing Examiner properly determine mine dewatering is not a beneficial use of water and dismissed the Objectors’ Petition for Judicial Review.
Objectors appealed the district court’s decision to the Montana Supreme Court in May 2023. Additional intervenors in the suit supporting the MT DNRC and Tintina, include the MT Stockgrowers Association, MT Farm Bureau Federation, the Association of Gallatin Agricultural Irrigators, the MT Chamber of Commerce, the MT League of Cities and Towns, Inc., and the MT Water Resources Association. On January 2, 2025, the Montana Supreme Court in a 5-2 decision affirmed the district court’s determination that mine dewatering is not a beneficial use of water.
VP of Communications Nancy Schlepp shared, “We are grateful for this commonsense decision that maintains longstanding water law in the state of Montana. We appreciate the Court’s diligent review of this case. Following February’s Supreme Court ruling fully reinstating our permit, the entire Sandfire America team has remained focused on implementing a world-class, environmentally safe mining project, and today’s decision continues us down that path.”
Lincoln Greenidge, CEO of Sandfire America shared, “Black Butte Copper now has all permits to proceed with the Feasibility work for this project. We remain diligently focused on reaching an investment decision to build the mine of which all Montanans, and the North American mining community can be proud.”
Contact Information:
Sandfire Resources America Inc.
Nancy Schlepp, VP of Communications and Government Relations
Mobile: 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.
FAQ
What was the outcome of Sandfire Resources (SRAFF) Montana Supreme Court ruling on January 2, 2025?
What permits does SRAFF now have for the Black Butte Copper Project after the court ruling?
When did Sandfire Resources (SRAFF) originally apply for the groundwater permit in Montana?
Who supported SRAFF in the Montana Supreme Court water rights case?
