News | Sanford Underground Research Facility

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Crews working to change the Rope on the Ross Cage in April of 2026.

SURF crews change Ross Hoist rope

In April 2026, technicians and engineers at SURF installed about 6100 feet of new rope on the Ross Cage. "This successful rope change is really a great example of safety teamwork and SURF’s Core Values all rolled up in one,” said Wendy Straub, the Chief Operating Officer at SURF.

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Technicians rig DUNE cryostat beams for loading into the cage--the lift has begun.

SURF completes DUNE steel beam test lift

A crew of technicians, riggers, hoist operators, and engineers at SURF have successfully completed the first test lift of one of the long steel beams that will be used to construct the far detector cryostats for the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE).

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Largest neutrino experiment in the U.S. wins Project of the Year Award

The largest neutrino experiment in the U.S. was named the Project of the Year by the Underground Construction Association for completing a significant and challenging underground construction project with little or no issues.

April 13, 2026

LZ sets a world’s best in the hunt for galactic dark matter and gets a new look at neutrinos from the sun’s core

The LUX-ZEPLIN experiment analyzed the largest dataset ever collected by a dark matter detector. The record-breaking results provide the strongest constraints yet on low-mass WIMPs, proposed dark matter particles.

December 08, 2025

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Construction of ethnobotanical garden to begin in spring 2023

Garden will host cultural and educational events; SURF Foundation Board appoints interim director

September 26, 2022
Updated report shows significant increases in SURF’s impacts across South Dakota

Net economic impact expected to hit $2 billion through 2029

September 19, 2022
This is a drill: students participate in simulated mine rescue

Students from South Dakota Mines, Colorado School of Mines gain valuable experience in simulated mine rescue

September 19, 2022
Visitor Center receives 2022 Travelers’ Choice Award

Visitor reviews place the Sanford Lab Homestake Visitor Center among top 10% of attractions worldwide on Tripadvisor

September 12, 2022
SURF community celebrates the memory of Michael F. Johnson

Johnson was a mechanical engineer at the Sanford Underground Research Facility for 13 years

September 12, 2022
SDSTA recognized for compliance with international standards of quality, environmental, occupational health and safety management

On August 4, the South Dakota Science and Technology Authority was certified in three international standards

September 06, 2022
$25,000 grant increases South Dakota educator access to SURF professional development

A grant from the John T. Vucurevich Foundation provided stipends, materials for South Dakota educators attending SURF’s virtual professional development

August 29, 2022
Stanford University study at SURF sheds light on the makeup of subsurface microbial communities

Stanford University researchers got rare insight into long-term transformation of subsurface microbial communities at SURF

August 22, 2022
Excavation of huge caverns for DUNE particle detector is underway

To date, about 274,000 tons of rock have been removed—more than a third of the 800,000 tons that needs to be extracted

August 15, 2022

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SURF crews change Ross Hoist rope

SURF completes DUNE steel beam test lift

ALL NEWS

LET’S DIG DEEPER