Montana Resources Halts Berkeley Pit Water Pumping Due to Wall Instability
Montana Resources has paused water pumping from the Berkeley Pit due to instability detected in the pit wall, which could lead to a small slide affecting access to the pump station. The company is relocating pumping infrastructure to the south ramp to address this risk, a process that may take months. Meanwhile, the water level in the pit is under control through ongoing management efforts from a 2019 Pilot Project aimed at treating and discharging contaminated water.
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Montana Resources has temporarily halted water pumping from the Berkeley Pit due to detected instability in a section of the pit wall, confirmed by satellite surveillance and radar monitoring since late December. The instability poses a risk of a small slide that could impact access to the pump station at the north ramp.
To mitigate this risk, the company is relocating pumping infrastructure, including three 800-horsepower pumps, to the south ramp to avoid vulnerabilities. While the pumping infrastructure relocation may take months, the water level in the Berkeley Pit remains a non-urgent concern due to ongoing management under the Pilot Project initiated in late 2019 by Montana Resources and Atlantic Richfield. The project aims to identify technologies to treat and discharge contaminated pit water, ensuring that the protective water level is maintained to prevent contamination of the nearby aquifer.
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