While doing some DD on this question I stumbled upon a document filed with BLM in 2009 requesting an access road short term right of way (ROW) to transport ore from high elevations down to the mill site before winter conditions closed the road. BLM granted SFMI the ROW because (amoung other things) use of the road would not have significant impacts on the designated habitat of sage grouse.
"Wildlife Comments/Explanation: The proposed ROW occurs within habitat designated as Key Habitat for sage grouse. Use of the ROW would occur in November which would avoid grouse nesting and brood rearing periods. Activities associated with the ROW could have minimal short-term disturbance impacts to grouse as they would be limited in duration and the grouse are highly mobile and readily able to avoid the disturbances at this time of the year."
However, core drilling could possibly have an impact if it occured during the nesting season. And... RK was at PDAC (representing Scorpio - check his tweets)
https://www.blm.gov/epl-front-office/projects/nepa/2302/11952/11952/DOI-BLM-ID-B030-2010-0002-CE_Silver_Falcon_Processing_Plant_Access_Road_RoW_web.pdf
Have a great weekend!
