A recent recovery effort has restored the gray wolf to its former range in Yellowstone and has begun to regain the natural balance lost by its absence of wolf pack activity over the past 70 years. Tearing Up the Land for Minerals Hardrock mining is becoming more widespread in Greater Yellowstone and throughout the West, driven by higher mineral prices and cheaper processing. One mine, Noranda Minerals' New World Mine, was proposed for an area just 2.5 miles from the northeast corner of Yellowstone National Park. It could have had devastating effects on several rivers, a rugged alpine recreation area and on Yellowstone Park. The threats to Greater Yellowstone from large-scale mining are profound.
Mining wastes are a long-term threat to the future quality of both ground and surface waters.
Heavy metals from the mine wastes can remain buried in stream sediments and be repeatedly washed out after each flood, causing a pulse of toxic wastes that can kill aquatic organisms. In addition to hardrock mining, oil and gas exploration is taking place on most of the national forests in the Ecosystem. Road building associated with exploration can ruin wildlife habitat critical to grizzly bear, elk, bighorn sheep, deer and antelope, among others. In the Targhee National Forest, clearcutting has been so extensive along the western boundary of Yellowstone National Park that the park boundary is visible from space. This stark and dramatic razor cut has a verdant forest on one side, while the forest on the Targhee side has been shaved clean.