LEAD - A Canadian engineering firm has been awarded a $4.8
million contract to reopen the underground Homestake gold mine in
Lead.
The South Dakota Science and Technology Authority awarded the
contract to Dynatec Corporation, a company based in Toronto.
Homestake is among four sites being considered for a proposed
national underground science laboratory. The National Science
Foundation is expected to announce the preferred site within the
next few weeks.
Authority chairman Dave Bozied of Sioux Falls said that it was
necessary to award the contract before the NSF decision in order to
keep the Homestake proposal on schedule.
"Now, it's up to the NSF," Bozied said.
If the NSF does select Homestake, workers could re-enter the
mine by as soon as June 15 and underground pumps could be removing
water from the mine's deepest level by fall.
