Barksdale Resources Corp.

Barksdale Resources Corporation (“Barksdale”) is a junior Canadian mining company that develops potential mine projects to sell off to a senior that will actually do the mining. Barksdale currently controls claims on three different areas in the Patagonia Mountains as described on its website:

“The Sunnyside Project is approximately 5,223 acres and is cored by a large intrusive complex that is thought to have driven a large hydrothermal system that created a classically zoned copper porphyry and associated distal deposits. The primary near-term exploration target is a skarn located on the northeast margin of the intrusive complex that is likely to host copper-zinc-lead-silver mineralization interpreted to be the extension of the world-class Taylor deposit (South32).  

“The San Antonio project is approximately 6,300 acres. The primary exploration focus at San Antonio is the untested, shallow Cosmos porphyry copper target. Extensive geologic and geophysical work by Teck Resources, the project’s previous owner, outlined a significant IP geophysical anomaly that Barksdale interprets to be a porphyry copper deposit.

“The Four Metals project: Barksdale has an option to acquire a 100% interest in Four Metals, which is a 760-acre property that is surrounded by federal mineral claims held by South32. Two targets exist at Four Metals including the Red Hills deposit, which is a copper-molybdenum-silver-gold bearing breccia pipe as well as a deeper conceptual porphyry copper target.”

Of these projects, Barksdale has applied for exploratory drilling permits on the Sunnyside project and the San Antonio project. In August 2019, the U.S. Forest Service announced the opening of a scoping comment period on Barksdale’s proposed exploratory drilling on the Sunnyside project. In October 2019, Patagonia Area Resource Alliance (PARA) and 128 others filed comments under National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) provisions. The Forest Service’s website for its Schedule of Proposed Actions (SOPA) states that a Forest Service decision on the project is anticipated in June 2021. In August 2020, the U.S. Forest Service announced the opening of a scoping period for an exploratory drilling permit on Barksdale’s San Antonio project.

PARA recognizes that the health and prosperity of Patagonia are tied to the well-being of two areas of interest: the Patagonia Mountains and the Harshaw/Sonoita Creek watershed. These two things are the source of our drinking water, clean air, biodiversity, and overall wealth of nature and resources, and their continued protection helps drive Patagonia’s economy.

As such, PARA’s mission is to stop new mining in the Patagonia Mountains.

Timeline of Barksdale Resources Mining Operations

10/2020: According to a USFS SOPA page, the comment period for a Sunnyside exploratory drilling project will open in October.

9/2020: The public commenting period for Barksdale’s San Antonio exploratory drilling project opened on September 12. It will remain open until October 12.

8/2020: According to a USFS SOPA page, a scoping period for Barksdale’s San Antonio exploratory drilling project has started. They expect to make a decision on this project in February 2021.

6/2020: Barksdale Resources announces “that it has secured an option to acquire a 100% interest in a patented mining claim.” This claim is close to other Barksdale projects in Patagonia.

3/2020: Barksdale Capital Corporation changed its name to Barksdale Resources Corporation.

10/2019: PARA and 128 others filed NEPA comments with the Forest Service re: Barksdale Capital’s scoping notice.

8/2019: Barksdale Capital released scoping notice for exploratory drilling on Sunnyside project.

4/2019: Barksdale Capital closed acquisition of the San Antonio project from Teck Resources.

4/2018: Barksdale Capital closed options with MinQuest and Allegiant Gold on Four Metals project.

10/2017: Barksdale Capital closed options with Regal Resources on Sunnyside project.

Historical Timeline [Regal Resources Mining Operations]

4/2017:  The Environmental Assessment Scoping Comment Period with the Forest Service was estimated to start May 2017—with a final decision and expected implementation to be completed by November 2018. (Visit the Forest Service Sunnyside Project web page.)

4/2016: The common shares of Regal Resources Inc. were delisted at market close on April 25, 2016.

4/2016: The Humboldt project (i.e., Sunnyside) went into “On Hold” status.

1/2016: Regal Resources went into default of the Canadian Securities Exchange and was suspended soon after. The Regal Resources website went inactive.

9/2016: The Federal Court ruled that the Forest Service Decision Memo should be vacated. The Sunnyside project was sent back to the drawing board as a result.

8/2015: PARA and Defenders of Wildlife won their litigation against the Forest Service for the unlawful approval of the Sunnyside proposal.

Read the News Release: Conservation Wins over Exploratory Drilling in Arizona’s Mountain Empire

10/2014:  PARA and Defenders of Wildlife filed a complaint in federal court against the Forest Service and Fish and Wildlife Service for approval of the Sunnyside mineral drilling project by Regal Resources in the Patagonia Mountains.

Read Regal Resource’s Update on the Sunnyside Project:

“In conjunction with the approval by the United States Forest Service of the Regal Resources operational plan for the Sunnyside Project in April 2015, the USFS imposed an annual seasonal drilling moratorium on the Sunnyside Project extending from March 1 to September 30 to ensure that the breeding season of certain species of wildlife is not disturbed.

Subsequent to the USFS approval of the Operational Plan, two environmental activist groups applied to the United States District Court for an order to set aside such approval. The Court has not yet provided its ruling on the matter. If the ruling is not issued before the expiry of the moratorium on September 30, 2015, there is a possibility that the activist groups will seek an injunction to prevent the Regal Resources from undertaking any drilling activities on the Sunnyside Project pending delivery of the Court’s decision.”

Additional Information:

• Conservationists turn to the courts to battle mining in Patagonia on behalf of imperiled wildlife and local residents
• List of species found in Humboldt Canyon
• List of the federally threatened, endangered, and sensitive species found in and around the Patagonia Mountains (Santa Cruz County, Arizona)

History: Regal Resources and Patagonia

In April 2011, Regal Resources submitted a Plan of Operation to the Coronado National Forest for exploratory mineral drilling in Humboldt Canyon for their Sunnyside Project. The Sunnyside Project was delayed because of a lawsuit brought against the Forest Service regarding their approval of another mining exploration project in the Patagonia Mountains.

Patagonia Area Resource Alliance joined together with Defenders of Wildlife and Sky Island Alliance. In December 2011, the three organizations went to court seeking a timeout on construction of Wildcat Silver’s Hardshell Project on the Coronado National Forest in southern Arizona. We challenged the U.S. Forest Service for approving exploratory mineral drilling without required studies of how it will impact endangered wildlife and the environment.

On July 11, 2013, Sierra Vista District Ranger Mark Ruggiero reopened the scoping period for the Sunnyside proposal. He did so “to ensure that public involvement is current and comprehensive.” We appreciated the additional opportunity to comment. At issue was the amount of time that had passed since the original public comment period—there had been significant changes in the area since then. We repeatedly advocated with the Forest Service District Ranger that a new public comment period should be opened.

Frequently Asked Questions:

What is a Plan of Operation and What’s a Scoping Notice?

Check out our NEPA Resources page here. NEPA stands for the National Environmental Policy Act. This is the environmental review process by which all federal agencies must comply for federal actions that could have environmental effects.

How can I make sure my voice is heard?

“The environmental review process under NEPA provides an opportunity for you to be involved in the Federal agency decision-making process. It will help you understand what the Federal agency is proposing, to offer your thoughts on alternative ways for the agency to accomplish what it is proposing, and to offer your comments on the agency’s analysis of the environmental effects of the proposed action and possible mitigation of potential harmful effects of such actions.

“NEPA requires Federal agencies to consider environmental effects that include, among others, impacts on social, cultural, and economic resources, as well as natural resources. Citizens often have valuable information about places and resources that they value and the potential environmental, social, and economic effects that proposed federal actions may have on those places and resources. NEPA’s requirements provide you the means to work with the agencies so they can take your information into account.”

—From the Citizens Guide to NEPA

What do all those acronyms mean?

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