Rapid Creek Watershed Area Maps
A Future Recreation Area! The Rapid Creek Watershed Above Rapid City
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Kalmiopsis Rivers' article explains more thoroughly about Mineral Withdrawals
About Mineral Withdrawals and 1872 Mining Law A mineral withdrawal removes specific areas of public lands from the application of the General Mining Law of 1872. The archaic law allows mining interests to develop mines and remove minerals—including gold, silver, copper and nickel—on any public land open to its operation for free. |
Gold Mining Claims in the Black Hills
Mineral Mountain Resources (yellow) has claims on approximately 7500 acres. F3 Gold (red) has almost 2500 claims.
The Rapid Creek watershed west of Rapid City in the Black Hills is approximately 198,000 acres. And about 47,000 acres of that watershed have been claimed by gold companies. In other words, almost a quarter of the watershed – 73 square miles – has the potential to be involved in further exploration and mining operations.
Almost a quarter of the Rapid Creek watershed upstream from Rapid City is subject to gold mining claims.
