At the end of September, the Greater Yellowstone Coalition (GYC) successfully purchased the mineral rights, leases, and claims to 1,598 acres on Crevice Mountain on the northern edge of Yellowstone National Park. This acquisition eliminated the last remaining gold mining threat to Yellowstone National Park and allows for permanent protection of this landscape.
Crevice Mountain rises 3,000 feet above the Yellowstone River and contains rich wildlife and forests. It provides habitat for grizzly bears and bison, and migration corridors for elk, mule deer, and bighorn sheep. Visitors are able to enjoy the backcountry through hunting, bird watching, and other outdoor recreation.
For years, Crevice Mining Group, LLC has been working to use this location as the site of a proposed gold mine. If built, the mine would have threatened existing wildlife and water quality, and changed the experience for visitors who would be able to see industrial activity from many places within the park. The development of the mine would have also resulted in new public access roads, clear cuts, and other activity that would forever alter the backcountry landscape and negatively impact nearby communities.
GYC was able to sign an agreement with the mining company, giving the nonprofit until October 1, 2023 to purchase the mineral rights, leases, and claims. Through negotiations, GYC was able to raise the funds needed and stop the mine before it got started. The organization will continue to work with local landowners to acquire additional private in-holdings in the area, and then the lands and mineral rights will be transferred to the Custer Gallatin National Forest, protecting it permanently under the Yellowstone Gateway Protection Act.
