"State regulators have approved exploratory drilling near the headwaters of the rugged flow that inspired “A River Runs Through It,” which is still recovering from a mining disaster more than 50 years ago."
"More than half a century after one of Montana’s most destructive mining disasters poisoned the upper Blackfoot River, a new gold exploration project near the river’s headwaters is sparking concerns about whether its decades of environmental recovery could be at risk.
Last month, the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) approved an amended exploration license for Australia-based Sentinel Metals to conduct additional drilling at its Columbia Gold Project, located near Lincoln in western Montana. The approval allows the company, which does business in Montana as Great Plains Mining LLC, to drill up to 21 exploratory holes, some reaching depths of 2,300 feet, in a mountainous area with streams that eventually flow into the Blackfoot River.
The decision comes after more than 8,700 public comments were submitted during the state’s environmental review process, which ended in April, reflecting widespread public interest in a watershed that has become both a symbol of ecological recovery and a cornerstone of Montana’s outdoor recreation economy.
Conservation groups and local residents cite widespread opposition to the project."
Mosabber Hossain reports for Inside Climate News July 4, 2026.
