In more West River mining news, environmental activists may find another target in the Black Hills: sand mining. Cambrian Resources, which Rapid City energy lawyer David Ganje just brought into existence last November, has acquired silica sand mining claims for 600 acres in Custer, Pennington, and Lawrence counties. Sand mining is essential to the fracking process that is driving the domestic oil boom. Ganje says he has data indicating possibly 80 million tons of fracking sand in the Black Hills, which would be the closest such deposit to the Bakken oil fields in North Dakota. According to Adam Hurlburt's reportage in the Black Hills Pioneer, that 80 million tons would fetch $16 billion, bring up to 50 jobs to the Hills, and supply the fracking industry's sand needs for 1.2 years.
Such sand mining has drawn fire in Minnesota, where activists argue that blasting, water depletion, wear and tear on roads and bridges, dust pollution (paging Kristi Noem!), and health hazards from breathing silica outweigh the economic development benefits. The Minnesota Legislature is considering a moratorium on new silica sand mines, and several southeast Minnesota counties are putting the brakes on new sand mines as they study the pros and cons. Folks in the Black Hills should demand similar caution before Cambrian gets the permits and a buyer to punch more dusty holes in the Hills.
Big problems with frac sand in Wisconsin as well. I live a mile from a quarry and sand operation. There are huge problems with particulate air pollution, and this area is far more wet and far less windy than the Black Hills. I'd be very concerned.