Our Company

CEO & President’s Message

“Doing it right from the beginning’ is not just a made-up slogan but stems from our expectations from stakeholders which we have enthusiastically embraced. Many mining companies, over the past century, have unfortunately put a stain on the entire industry and distracted from the social and economic benefits that have been received from building and operating mines. At Black Butte Copper, we will continue to focus on doing our best to change the perception, by doing the right things from the beginning. I believe it all starts with laying the foundation by hiring the right people who are committed to doing it right from the beginning. Our people are indeed our greatest resource, as without them, the ore in the ground would never be mined economically and sustainably. To date, we have a small team who are fit-for-purpose, given the stage of mine development. However, as we move towards building and sustainably operating a mine to hopefully process billions of pounds of copper, we will continue to attract both young and experienced personnel with the right mindset.

We are proud to be on the cusp of building what is arguably the second highest grade copper deposit under development in the world. All our people are proud to share our showcase underground project, designed using state-of-the-art engineering and technology to ensure compliance with Montana mining laws while protecting the pristine environment in the Smith River watershed. We respect and fully understand that Montana has some of the most stringent mining standards and environmental protection laws globally, and we are up for the task of not only meeting but exceeding such standards.

It is my pleasure to lead such a dedicated and professional team of individuals who are committed to building the state-of-the-art mine in Montana. We all believe that it is critically important to design, construct, operate, and eventually close a copper mine in the 21st Century without leaving any form of negative environmental legacy. That is exactly how this mine is being planned; to showcase responsible development while meeting strict regulations with community input and support. Our desire is to raise the bar by sustainably operating the mine safely and profitably.

As you look a little closer into each component of our mine plan, you will see the rigorous efforts that have been taken to prevent environmental issues. These include a cement binder being added to approximately half of the tailings (the ground-up rock left after the copper has been removed) and redeposited back underground in mined out cavities to eliminate acid rock drainage and surface subsidence issues. Similarly, cement will also be added to the other half of the tailings which will be deposited in a double lined facility creating a solid and stable environment. As a result, a tailings dam failure, as we have seen in parts of the world, is not physically possible with this design and construction. We will recycle the water we recover from mining to use in the processing plant and a reverse osmosis water treatment plant will treat any excess water in our closed system to drinking water standards, then return it underground. This is not a mine built 100 years ago. This is not an open pit mine on the Smith River. This will be a small, high-grade underground mine that is approximately one mile from Sheep Creek and around 19 river miles from the Smith. In addition, we will extensively monitor the immediate mine area and manage our very small footprint which is located entirely on private ranch lands. We will also welcome external parties to review and perform independent assessments to ensure that we are held accountable to what we say we do.

This project is important to Meagher County and Montana. The community is in need of jobs and all the positive opportunities that come with a mine operation, but not if it sacrifices the quality of the water and landscapes we all love. When done right, this project will mean that the local residents will have the opportunity to work in the place they call home. All families dream of children coming back to a career in their home community, and we plan to make this a reality for White Sulphur Springs and surrounding communities. We fully expect our workforce of approximately 240 people will come from and live in Meagher County and the surrounding areas. All Montanans will benefit from close to an estimated $2 billion that will be pumped directly into the state economy through wages, bought services, taxes and rents over the life of the project.

If you are in Montana, please drop in and see us at any time in White Sulphur Springs or join us on our scheduled monthly tours. Sandfire has an open-door policy, and we diligently work to continue our commitment to transparency.