Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) is a world-class facility for research and development in the sciences, technology, and engineering. Located 1.5 miles below the Black Hills of South Dakota, USA, it is one of the deepest underground labs in the world. SURF was created to allow scientists access to an environment that is shielded from many of the distractions and dangers of the surface world, providing a unique place to study a variety of topics ranging from geology and astrophysics to microbiology and particle physics.
The Sanford Lab began as the Homestake Mine, which was founded in 1876 by George Hearst – father of William Randolph Hearst – during the Black Hills Gold Rush. The Homestake Mine quickly became one of the largest and most productive gold mines in North America, operating for over 100 years before being shuttered in 2001 due to declining gold prices. When it closed, Homestake was not only the deepest mine in North America at 8100 feet (2469 m), but also had one of the lowest background radiation levels due to its great depth. These factors made it an ideal location for sensitive scientific experiments that require low levels of background radiation, such as those involving dark matter or neutrinos.
In 2007, following several years of feasibility studies funded by philanthropist T Denny Sanford, construction began on converting part of the old Homestake Mine into a state-of-the-art underground research facility known as SURF. The first phase of construction focused on creating infrastructure necessary for supporting science operations at SURF, including power & cooling systems, communication & networking infrastructure, ventilation shafts, and water treatment plants. Construction on Phase II began in 2010 and included laboratories, offices, workshops, classrooms, storage space for scientific equipment & materials, and living quarters for researchers working at SURF on long-term projects. Phase III construction added two more large caverns known as Davis Campus Cavern (DCC) & Ross Campus Cavern (RCC), named after former directors Ray Davis & Barbara Ross respectively. DCC & RCC provide additional workspace for scientists as well as room to expand SURF’s capabilities in future years.