In a move that is being celebrated by environmentalists and\u00a0a host of Montana businesses and organizations,\u00a0U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke approved a 20-year ban on mineral mining in the public areas to the north of\u00a0Yellowstone National Park. The ban will not only protect Yellowstone’s beautiful landscape and dozens of wildlife species, it will also preserve\u00a0the popular recreational areas near the park.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m a pro-mining guy. I love hardrock [mining],\u201d said Zinke. \u201cBut there are places to mine and places not to mine.\u201d<\/p>\n
The legislation takes a direct stance against the Lucky Minerals mining company after they drafted up two excavation plans to hunt for gold, silver, and minerals inside of the\u00a047 square miles of public land.<\/p>\n
Though the ban does not affect the company\u2019s pre-existing land claims or claims on private lands, supporters of the legislation say that the company\u2019s inability to expand their mining onto the surrounding public lands for a more wide-scale excavation is a huge deterrent from proceeding.<\/p>\n