The State of Montana this week greenlit the first phase of construction of an underground copper mine in the central part of the state.
The Montana Department of Environmental Quality on Aug. 14 issued Tintina Montana, Inc. a permit to begin surface preparation for the proposed 311 acre Black Butte Copper Mine north of White Sulphur Springs.
DEQ spokesperson Rebecca Harbage says the permit allows the company to get started in the area.
"It doesn’t involve drilling into the ground. It’s preparation of the surface area itself," Harbage said.