The proposed expanded exploration program is advancing through Environmental Assessment review with the US Forest Service. The draft Environmental Assessment, released June 2, 2026, and its supporting documents are available on the US Forest Service project page (Blue Copper Mineral Exploration Project, #303864). The federal FAST-41 Permitting Dashboard lists environmental review and permitting as estimated to be complete by July 20, 2027.
The 2024 Decision Memo for the earlier, smaller-scope program described below remains in effect. The expanded program is under agency review and is not yet authorized.
US Forest Service designation: Blue Copper Mineral Exploration Project
A Falcon-operated copper-dominant mineral exploration project in the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest, Powell and Lewis and Clark Counties, Montana. The US Forest Service approved the initial Plan of Operations by Decision Memo on August 27, 2024; an expanded exploration program is advancing through Environmental Assessment review.
The Blue Copper Project is a Falcon-operated exploration project in Powell and Lewis and Clark Counties, Montana, targeting a copper-dominant mineral system that also hosts associated metals including silver and gold.
Falcon Copper Corp., formerly Blue Copper Resources Corp., submitted the original Plan of Operations in June 2023. The project is also listed on the federal FAST-41 permitting transparency dashboard.
The project intent, in the words of the Decision Memo, is “to better define the extent and characteristics of known and/or inferred locatable mineral occurrences within the project area.” Operations involve both National Forest land and privately owned patented inholdings.
Because part of the project area is on the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest, the US Forest Service is the lead federal agency for environmental review and permitting. The official project record, including the Decision Memo, biological assessments, and consultation documentation, is published by USFS and accessible at the Pinyon Public document repository.
Current authorized exploration is sited in the Snowshoe Creek drainage, ~6.5 miles northeast of Avon, Montana. The expanded program now under Environmental Assessment review would extend exploration to additional target areas in the surrounding upper Little Blackfoot River watershed.
“Exploration drilling operations and geophysical surveys would be conducted to reinforce and build upon geologic mapping and geophysical survey information collected during previous investigation of the project area.”
The approved Plan of Operations covers core drilling (3.5-inch diameter holes) and surface and downhole geophysical surveys at the 12 identified drill sites. The Decision Memo incorporates resource protection measures across botany, fisheries, heritage, hydrology, minerals, recreation, silviculture, soils, weeds, and wildlife. This is the program currently authorized and in effect; the expanded program now under Environmental Assessment review is separate and not yet authorized.
Source: USFS Decision Memo, pp. 2–4.
The Helena District Ranger signed the Decision Memo for the Blue Copper Mineral Exploration Project on August 27, 2024, approving the original Plan of Operations with incorporated resource protection measures. The action was categorically excluded from documentation in an environmental impact statement or environmental assessment under 36 CFR 220.6(e)(8), with three federal and state concurrences supporting the analysis. A subsequent, expanded Exploration Plan of Operations was submitted to USFS, BLM, and Montana DEQ on November 17, 2025 and revised in February 2026. On June 2, 2026, the Forest Service released a draft Environmental Assessment for the expanded program and opened a 30-day public comment period. Agency review is anticipated to be complete by July 20, 2027, per the federal FAST-41 Permitting Dashboard.
Species effects under the 2024 Plan of Operations were evaluated by the US Forest Service and the US Fish and Wildlife Service, with USFWS concurrence on August 8, 2024. Consultation for the expanded program will be completed through the Environmental Assessment process before any decision. Determinations are documented in the federal project record.
The 30-day public comment period on the draft Environmental Assessment concluded on July 2, 2026, and the expanded program continues through agency review. The federal FAST-41 Permitting Dashboard lists the project as in progress, with environmental review and permitting estimated to be complete by July 20, 2027.
Source: FAST-41 Dashboard ↗The US Forest Service released a draft Environmental Assessment for the expanded exploration program and opened a 30-day public comment period closing July 2, 2026. The Environmental Assessment and instructions for submitting comments are available on the US Forest Service project page (#303864).
Source: US Forest Service ↗Falcon submitted an expanded, multi-year Exploration Plan of Operations to the US Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and Montana Department of Environmental Quality, subsequently revised in February 2026. The expanded program is reviewed under an Environmental Assessment (Project #303864), separate from the 2024 categorically excluded program.
Source: US Forest Service ↗The official USFS project page (#66192) was last updated, reflecting the signed Decision Memo and a project status of Completed.
Source: US Forest Service ↗The Helena District Ranger signed the Decision Memo approving the Plan of Operations with incorporated resource protection measures. The action was categorically excluded under 36 CFR 220.6(e)(8): short-term mineral, energy, or geophysical investigations.
Source: USFS Decision Memo ↗Project consultation with the US Fish and Wildlife Service regarding applicable federally listed species concluded. The Service concurred with the affected species determinations expressed in the biological assessments prepared by the Forest.
Source: US Fish and Wildlife Service ↗Scoping commenced for the Blue Copper Mineral Exploration Project. Per the Decision Memo, no project-specific comments were raised during scoping.
Source: US Forest Service ↗Project-level informal consultation with the Montana State Historic Preservation Office regarding historic properties and cultural resources was completed, with concurrence from the Montana SHPO granted on January 18, 2024.
Source: Montana SHPO ↗The US Forest Service began an appropriate level of environmental analysis specific to the proposed locatable mineral exploration operation under the National Environmental Policy Act.
Source: USFS Decision Memo ↗The authoritative federal record for the expanded program, including the draft Environmental Assessment (#303864).
Visit fs.usda.gov ↗Decision Memo, biological assessments, and consultation records for the 2024 authorized program (#66192).
View Documents ↗Cross-agency federal permitting transparency record. Blue Copper is listed on the dashboard.
Visit FAST-41 ↗For Falcon-specific questions about the company, the broader project portfolio, or media inquiries.
Contact Falcon →For questions about the federal record, the Environmental Assessment, or consultation findings, the responsible US Forest Service official and current contact information are listed on the official USFS project page under Get Connected.
Open USFS Project Page ↗Project information on this page is provided for general reference only and does not constitute a technical disclosure of mineral resources, reserves, exploration results, or project economics. For the official record and current status, see the US Forest Service project page and project record linked above. See Disclosures.
