An Interview with Krista Evans-VP Government Relations and Community
What are you hoping to find with the exploration, if the second exploration license amendment is approved?
At this stage, to better understand the deposit.
The additional drilling would allow us to refine our understanding of the size, structure, and characteristics of the mineralization, while continuing to build out our environmental baseline data.
What are your goals with the Columbia Gold & Silver Project? Would Sentinel Metals like to put a full-scale mine at the site in the future? If so, what might that look like?
Right now, we are in the exploration phase, so our goal is to have this amendment to our exploration permit approved so we can continue to learn more about the project, conduct additional research, and conduct on-site baseline studies.
The purpose of this phase is to gather the information needed to determine whether the deposit could be developed responsibly under Montana law. After the exploration phase is complete, Sentinel will evaluate the results to determine whether to proceed with any additional actions.
If the company were to consider development, it would require several years of additional study, engineering, and regulatory review – and additional permitting and public comment opportunities – before any decision could be made.
What would you like local residents to know about the exploration? What would you like them to know the project overall?
We want people to understand what this phase is and what it is not. This is a limited, low-impact exploration program focused on data collection. It is not a proposal to build or operate a mine.
All exploration work is being conducted under a framework that prioritizes maintaining existing environmental conditions. Drilling operations use closed-loop systems, meaning water is contained, reused, and not discharged on-site. Drill locations are temporary and reclaimed after final use. Access is limited to existing roads and disturbed areas, wherever possible, to avoid unnecessary impacts on vegetation and wildlife.
These activities are regulated under Montana law and are subject to DEQ oversight throughout the process. Sentinel values open communication with local stakeholders and regulatory bodies and encourages everyone’s input.
The Columbia Gold & Silver project is NOT the Macdonald Meadows project that initiated the cyanide ban all those years ago. This project is 4 miles south of that and has never been the basis of public concern. The Columbia Gold & Silver project is entirely on logged, private land and our maiden drill program is almost entirely on DEQ registered disturbed trails.
Some nearby residents have expressed concerns about the exploration and the potential for mining in the future, specifically citing environmental concerns and the area’s history with mining. How would you respond to their concerns?
We understand those concerns, and we take them seriously.
We expect not only the regulators, but also the public, to watch us closely and hold us to our word.
Modern mining in this country, and particularly this state, looks a lot different today than it has in the past. There are tremendous safeguards in place to protect areas like the Blackfoot River – a place special to my own heart – while allowing for responsible development of the minerals that make our lives safer, healthier, and more prosperous.
Montana law requires that exploration and mining operations not degrade water quality or quantity. If the Columbia Gold and Silver project were to proceed in the future, the company would need to prove to DEQ that any facility can operate without harming the Blackfoot River or other nearby tributaries.
That standard must be met to obtain any required permit. Without it, a project cannot move forward. I’ve watched mining change for the better in this state. And I can tell you this – I would not be involved with this project if I believed for a second it would damage this special place.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
There is often a perception that Montana has to choose between developing its natural resources and protecting its environment. We don’t see it that way. With modern mining, we can have both. We can extract the minerals we need while preserving the environment and our water resources. Montana has some of the strictest environmental protections in the world, and we should be proud of that.
The question now is whether a project can meet the strict standards that Montanans have set. That’s what this exploration phase is about: gathering the information needed to answer that question.
I grew up in Montana, have worked on water policy my entire career, love the Blackfoot River, and believe we can develop this project while protecting the Blackfoot River
2026-02 Columbia Winter-Spring Planned Drill Holes Montana DEQ Exploration Amendment enters public comment phase for the Columbia Gold-Silver Project Columbia Gold Silver Project Community Information DEQ Columbia Gold Environmental Assessment
