Judge revokes water-use permit for Hecla’s Montana project

A judge in the US state of Montana has reversed the award of a water-use permit for Idaho-based Hecla Mining subsidiary, RC Resources’ Rock Creek silver/copper mine.

Montana District Court Judge Kathy Seeley sided with plaintiffs who argued that their concerns regarding the impact that the planned groundwater pumping for the mine would have on streams in the Cabinet Mountain Wilderness area were not adequately considered.