Officials with Copper Mine Project Promise it Will Be Safe

BOZEMAN, Mont. (AP) — There is a new CEO in charge of developing the Black Butte copper project and he's promising to meet all mandated standards and get the project into operation safely.

John Shanahan of Tintina Resources plans to dig for copper near a Smith River tributary and will oversee the company as it tries to develop the Black Butte Copper project north of White Sulphur Springs.

The mine would be underground and it would be located near Sheep Creek, a tributary of the Smith River.

According to the Bozeman Daily Chronicle (http://tinyurl.com/zv9mmwd ), environmental groups are worried that the mine could damage water quality and potentially harm the Smith River, a highly prized fishery that attracts anglers from all over the world.