Mount Rushmore is always in headlines—whether for its iconic carvings, political theatre, or the deeper disputes over the land it stands on. Rising from the granite of South Dakota’s Black Hills, the monument occupies ground the Lakota Sioux call Pahá Sápa, traditionally known as “Six Grandfathers” (Tȟuŋkášila Šákpe). The 1868 Fort Laramie Treaty guaranteed these lands to the Sioux Nation “in perpetuity,” a guarantee broken less than a decade later when gold was discovered. In 1980, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the Black Hills were taken illegally, awarding compensation the Sioux have refused—now valued at over $2 billion with interest. For tribes, the land itself, not money, remains the only acceptable settlement.
That tension frames today’s twin controversies: the return of gold exploration and the spectacle of adding a “fifth face” to the monument.
Gold mining returns to the headlines
Only one large-scale mine currently operates in the Black Hills: Coeur Mining’s Wharf mine near Lead. The operation produces more than 90,000 ounces of gold annually through open-pit mining and cyanide heap leaching under strict permits. Wharf is certified under the International Cyanide Management Code, designed to manage transport and spill risks.
But Wharf may not stand alone for long. Gold’s price, trading above $2,400/oz in 2025, has revived exploration. Dakota Gold is advancing drilling in the historic Homestake district, reporting potential reserves of 2.6–3.9 million ounces at Richmond Hill. The company suggests a possible 2029 start date.
Yet exploration sparks pushback. The Associated Press reported that 271,000 acres—20% of the Black Hills—are covered by mining claims. Tribal groups and environmental coalitions warn that new projects would endanger sacred landscapes and water supplies.
Regulatory pivots
- Pactola Reservoir withdrawal: In December 2024, Interior finalized a 20-year mining ban on 20,510 acres near Pactola Reservoir and Rapid Creek—Rapid City’s water supply and Ellsworth AFB’s source. The move, prompted by backlash to F3 Gold’s Jenny Gulch project, blocks new claims but preserves existing rights.
- Ongoing exploration: Dakota Gold continues to seek approvals in Homestake, while plans near Spearfish Canyon have drawn thousands of public comments.
Cyanide, spills, and the “illegality” question
At Wharf, cyanide heap leaching is legal and permitted, with contingency bonding in place. A 2021 state record details a cyanide solution spill at Pad 4, later closed after remediation. Legacy mines are a different story: the Gilt Edge Mine remains a Superfund cleanup site, a reminder of past risks.
The EPA’s Toxics Release Inventory tracks regulated chemical discharges from Wharf, including nitrates and cyanide compounds. These figures are legal, not evidence of illicit mining. The real “illegality” debate is historical: whether mining can proceed at all on land a court found unlawfully seized.
Trump, politics, and the “fifth face”
Politics remain inseparable. Donald Trump has repeatedly mused about adding his face to Mount Rushmore. In January 2025, Rep. Anna Paulina Luna introduced H.R. 792 to study the idea.
Engineering reality is blunt: the National Park Service says there is no stable rock left to carve without jeopardizing existing faces. Trump’s 2020 fireworks rally at the site already triggered tribal protests and fire-safety warnings.
Meanwhile, Trump reinstated the National Garden of American Heroes by executive order earlier this year—an unrelated but symbolic nod to monument-building.
Indigenous rights at the center
For the Sioux Nation, every new drill bit is another treaty violation. Accepting compensation funds would close their legal case, so the account remains untouched. Groups such as the Black Hills Clean Water Alliance celebrate moves like the Pactola withdrawal as partial protections, but insist the land must be restored.
What to watch next
- Richmond Hill and Homestake projects: Scoping, water modeling, and permitting outcomes.
- Potential new withdrawals: Additional watersheds or cultural areas may be shielded.
- Congressional theatrics: H.R. 792’s fate is political—but geology renders it moot.
Skillings analysis
- The Black Hills illustrate how modern U.S. gold mining collides with unresolved treaty law.
- For operators, regulatory and legal volatility is as material as bullion prices.
- The industry must demonstrate that heap-leach operations can coexist with water security and tribal sovereignty concerns.
Closing outlook
As gold prices hold at record highs, Black Hills exploration will intensify. But each permit fight is about more than ounces—it is about water, land, and legitimacy. A “fifth face” on Mount Rushmore may capture headlines, but the future of mining here depends on reconciling geology with history.
