South Dakota Opens Review of Black Hills Uranium Permits

Energy suppliers and regional businesses in Fall River and Custer counties can weigh in during the state's public review.

Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Utilities

Wide view of a pine-covered Black Hills ridgeline above a dry grass valley, with a plain low pipeline running toward a small utility pad under clear morning light. — South Dakota's Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources opened public review of Powertech's bid to revive uranium recovery at the Dewey-Burdock project in Fall River and Custer counties. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Should South Dakota approve uranium mining that could affect local groundwater?

South Dakota's Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources has opened public review of permit applications for uranium recovery in the Black Hills. Powertech (USA) Inc. is seeking state water and mining permits to revive its Dewey-Burdock project in Fall River and Custer counties, which would be the first such operation in the state since 1973.

Why it matters

Companies in mining, energy supply, and water-dependent industries across South Dakota face a permitting decision that could bring new jobs, tax revenue, and domestic uranium supply to the state, but also brings environmental review that could reshape timelines and costs. The renewed push comes as proponents argue for energy independence and local economic growth, while the state's public comment period now determines how the application moves forward.

The Dewey-Burdock project would revive uranium recovery in South Dakota after a 50-year gap since operations shut down in 1973. The state has opened water and mining permit applications for public review, and no final decision or permit approval has been reported yet.

The players

Powertech (USA) Inc.

A uranium development company seeking state permits to revive in-situ uranium recovery at the Dewey-Burdock project.

South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources

The state agency responsible for reviewing and deciding on the water and mining permit applications for the proposed project.

The details

The proposed Dewey-Burdock project would use an in-situ recovery process, which injects liquid underground to dissolve and extract uranium from deposits rather than requiring conventional open-pit or underground mining. Powertech (USA) Inc. is targeting uranium deposits in the southwestern Black Hills, in Fall River and Custer counties. Because the project requires both state water and mining permits, the public review phase gives residents and stakeholders a formal channel to weigh in before any approval decision.

1973: Uranium operations in South Dakota shut down after falling market prices and environmental concerns.
November 1, 2026: South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources opened public review of the uranium permit applications.

Market Landscape

The proposal returns to the same region where South Dakota uranium operations ended in 1973 after falling market prices and environmental concerns. Its in-situ recovery method, which injects liquid underground to extract uranium, is the technique at the center of the state's permit review.

Businesses in energy supply, construction, and regional services should track the public review and any permit decision, since approval would signal new uranium-related demand and local economic activity in the Black Hills. Operators with exposure to water use or land-based permitting in Fall River and Custer counties should consult qualified counsel on how the proceedings could affect their own projects.

The takeaway

Watch the public comment period and the state's water and mining permit decisions, since they will determine whether this revival moves forward. Operators in energy, water-dependent industries, and regional services should track the outcome and consult qualified counsel before acting on any permitting-related opportunity or risk.