Lucky Minerals Deems Lawsuit a Traditional Tactic of Anti- Development Groups
MEDIA STATEMENT
Contact: Robert Rosner | 866.924.6484 | [email protected].
LUCKY MINERALS DEEMS LAWSUIT A TRADITIONAL TACTIC OF ANTI- DEVELOPMENT GROUPS
Vancouver, B.C.-September 27, 2017 – Lucky Minerals Inc. (TSX.V: LJ) (OTCQB: LKMNF) (the "Company") responds to a lawsuit filed by Earth Justice on behalf of Park County Environmental Council (PCEC) and Greater Yellowstone Coalition (GYC). The two anti-development groups are suing Montana Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) for approving exploratory drilling on the wholly-owned St. Julian Claim Block, private property within Emigrant Gulch in Southern Montana.
“The lawsuit brought by anti-development groups is a traditional delay tactic used to slow strategic mineral exploration and delay jobs that may be created as a result,” stated Robert Rosner, CEO of Lucky Minerals. “We are confident that the law will uphold our private property rights and allow the exploration to proceed under the terms laid out by MDEQ.”
The lawsuit asserts that MDEQ failed to consider all studies in the context of a large-scale mining operation. Lucky Minerals submitted a plan of operation for an exploratory drilling program in November 2015 which was lawfully and thoroughly considered by MDEQ when the exploration license was issued.
“It’s clearly arbitrary and capricious for an exploration program to be studied as a large-scale mine,” said Rosner. “The core drilling program is one method of gathering scientific data to inform future decisions about the project. It would be imprudent to work under the assumption that there will be a mine until all the data is collected.”
MDEQ exceeded all customary studies before issuing the exploration license for the drill program to proceed on private land in Emigrant Gulch. The study is the culmination of 11 months of scientific research which has been recorded in the over 300-page Final Environmental Assessment document written by, and on file at, MDEQ. The State of Montana considered all studies and comments over a period of 60 days from October 2016 until January 2017.
Following that period, it was concluded that the proposed exploratory drilling could proceed without negatively impacting the current environment in the historic mining district. Subsequently, MDEQ issued the exploration license on July 26, 2017. Lucky Minerals has agreed to all the terms laid out by MDEQ including completing required environmental sensitivity training, obtaining road permits and the bond which exceeds the customary amount for this type of exploration.
“Lucky Minerals fully backs the Montana DEQ decision and will vigorously defend the decision against the misleading, false information contained in the suit,” said Rosner.
He characterized the lawsuit as a “frivolous attempt to infringe on private property rights and circumvent historic mining laws”. The Company is considering all remedies allowed within the law to protect its rights as a landowner and a publicly-traded company.
Lucky Minerals continues to pursue collaborative solutions based on the tenets of modern mining: scientific data, preservation of culture and a desire to build stronger, more sustainable communities.
About Lucky Minerals:
Lucky Minerals Inc.’s Emigrant Creek Project is focused on the exploration and development of several targets located in the core of the mineralized and intensely altered Emigrant Mining District, South-central Montana. Lucky Minerals shares trade on the TSX Venture Exchange under the trading symbol LJ and through the OTCQB under the symbol LKMNF.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD
“Robert Rosner”
Chief Executive Officer
Contact Information: For more information please contact Robert Rosner at (866) 924-6484 or [email protected].
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202-905 W. Broadway Street, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4M3 | T: (866) 924-6484