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Mercer County approves temporary permit for geological test drilling to assess critical minerals
Summary
The commission approved Temporary Use Permit #656 allowing the North Dakota Geological Survey to drill and core shallow test holes to sample critical minerals in the Bear Den Member; the board required wells be plugged and sites reclaimed under NDAC rules.
The Mercer County Commission on Aug. 6 approved Temporary Use Permit #656, authorizing the North Dakota Geological Survey to drill and core 50–200-foot test holes to determine concentrations of critical minerals in lignite and claystone in the Bear Den Member of the Golden Valley Formation. Tax Director Jennifer Neumiller presented the application and ND Geological Survey Geologist Levi Moxness answered questions during the meeting.
The permit limits disturbance to less than 2,500 square feet per site, allows a maximum of five sites per tract and caps the project disturbance at 3.6 acres. The board’s approval, made on a motion by Commissioner Rick Bauman and seconded by Commissioner Mark Pierce, includes a requirement that all holes be plugged and drill sites reclaimed in accordance with NDAC 43-02-01-14.
The action was recorded as unanimous; the motion passed without amendment. The board did not place additional conditions beyond the reclamation and plugging requirements stated in the permit application. The county will consider further oversight or reporting requirements if staff return with changes following monitoring or follow-up questions.
