Barksdale Resources Corp Sunnyside Project Lawsuit: Environmental Groups Challenge USFS Environmental Assessment

Barksdale Resources Corp, a Vancouver-based base metal exploration company, has been making significant strides in its Sunnyside copper-lead-zinc-silver exploration project in Arizona. However, the project has recently been met with legal challenges that have brought its project into the spotlight.

The Sunnyside project, located in the Patagonia Mountains of southern Arizona, was acquired by Barksdale in 2017. The project is centered around a large intrusive complex believed to have driven a substantial hydrothermal system, creating a classically zoned copper porphyry and associated distal deposits. 

The primary near-term exploration target is a skarn located on the northeast margin of the intrusive complex, likely to host copper-zinc-lead-silver mineralization.

In recent years, the company has made significant permitting progress. The United States Forest Service (USFS) completed the Environmental Assessment in January 2023, and on June 16, 2023, it issued a Decision Memorandum and a Finding of No Significant Impacts. These determinations, along with two State of Arizona permits and an Army Corp of Engineers approval, were the major permitting milestones needed for Sunnyside to proceed.

However, on June 20, 2023, a lawsuit was filed against the USFS by various non-profit environmental groups seeking to set aside the USFS’s recently issued decisions related to the Sunnyside project. 

The complaint alleges that the USFS made certain errors in its analysis related to cumulative impacts of the various exploration and mining projects in the area, potential effects to various species of wildlife, and baseline conditions of groundwater resources.

Despite not being named directly in the legal action, Barksdale has retained counsel and intends to file a Motion to Intervene with the United States District Court for the District of Arizona. If approved, this will allow Barksdale to join the ongoing litigation and work in concert with the Department of Justice to defend the USFS’s decisions related to Sunnyside.

In response to the lawsuit, Barksdale’s President and CEO, Rick Trotman, stated, “I stand by the excellent work that the Barksdale and USFS teams have completed at Sunnyside during an intensive four-year permitting timeframe. The US permitting process is extremely robust and comprehensive, which ensures protection of the environment while meeting the needs of the local communities and strategic national priorities. 

Barksdale remains aligned with all stakeholders to advance the Sunnyside project and deliver much-needed critical metals to the US for the transition towards net-zero.”

The legal case is expected to take between twelve and eighteen months. If the judge rules favourably with the USFS/Barksdale on the preliminary injunction request, Barksdale will be able to execute its planned drilling program while the legal action unfolds.

The Sunnyside project represents a significant step forward in the mining sector’s efforts to meet the growing demand for metals and minerals necessary for the transition towards renewable energy. Despite the legal challenges, Barksdale remains committed to advancing the project and contributing to the broader green transition.