Film Sagebrush Gold and panel discussion on proposed Sheep Creek mine

View the acclaimed film Sagebrush Gold about how a lithium mine affected a community in Nevada. Then, take part in a lively discussion with an expert panel about the proposed Sheep Creek exploration and mining at the the headwaters of the Bitterroot.

Short film, Sagebrush Gold:

A lithium mine being built in Nevada’s remote sagebrush desert promises us as greener future, but local ranchers, environmentalists, and indigenous tribes share a different side to the story.

Panelists

Bonnie Gestring is the Northwest Program Director at Earthworks, a national non-profit organization dedicated to protecting communities and the environment against the adverse impacts of mineral and energy development, while seeking sustainable solutions. Bonnie leads Earthworks’ efforts in Montana, Oregon, Idaho, Alaska and Washington. She is the author of numerous reports on hardrock mining, and she has been active in campaigns to protect clean water, fish and wildlife, and important ecosystems throughout the northwest U.S., including Alaska’s Bristol Bay, Montana’s Cabinet Mountains Wilderness, and Oregon’s Siskiyou Region.

Larry Campbell is a retired exploration geologist who has worked in every western state over the course of 45 years of living in the Bitterroot.

Phil Ramsey is the lead scientist and general manager of MPG Ranch, a biological research station near Florence. He earned his doctorate for studies of how heavy metals from mine wastes influence the Clark Fork ecosystem. Phil is assisted by his wife, Bonny-Bleu, a local realtor concerned about how the mine would affect Montana’s economy and land values.

Jeff Lonn is a research geologist with Montana’s state geological survey at Montana Tech. He has spent over 30 years mapping and studying the geology of western Montana, including extensive work in the Bitterroot region. He lives in Hamilton.