This month, the New Mexico Department of Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources is accepting public comment on the amended proposal to mine for copper in Sierra County.
Copper Flat, a proposed copper mine four miles east of the unincorporated community of Hillsboro, has been seeking permit approval from the state since 2012. New Mexico Copper, the company behind the mine, has amended its application for permitting and company officials say they amended the original proposal with a newer type of mine waste disposal that, together with a closed loop system, would enable the mine to operate with less than 1,050 acre feet of fresh water a year.
The mining company says the mine waste disposal called dry stacking would reduce the amount of water the company would need to mine copper and other minerals from an area that is about 14 miles from the Gila National Forest.
The state held a public meeting in Hillsboro last month to allow local residents to comment on the amended proposal. Around 100 people attended the meeting, which lasted 4 1/2 hours to accommodate the mostly critical public comment. Only two people spoke in favor of the mine, saying it would bring needed jobs to the area. One of those supporters, Jason Best, said he drove in from Silver City to say he would apply at the mine if it gets started.
"Not only does it give opportunity to the people that work at the mine, it gives opportunity to local contractors, construction companies, transportation and trucking, equipment and maintenance services, telecommunications, suppliers and other supporting businesses,"Best said.
But many residents of Hillsboro and nearby Caballo seem to have lingering questions about mine haul trucks, light, air and noise pollution. But more than anything, local residents expressed concern about water and the increasing scarcity of water in this part of the state to accommodate the opening of a large open pit mining operation. One Hillsboro resident, Barbara Pearlman, was resoundingly opposed to the mine's opening. Pearlman, like many at the meeting, expressed concerns over the future of Animas Creek if the mine goes forward.
"I'm very skeptical about the water use, about its effect on the Animas, about its effect in terms of air and noise pollution to this community. And I do not really believe the numbers they're putting up," Pearlman said. "I'm mostly worried about water. When the original compact was made in terms of an environmental study for water that was in 2015, I think they said, 2014. We've been in a 15-year drought."
Stephen Crosby, senior vice president of New Mexico Copper and the U.S. representative, told me at the meeting that the mine can operate within the 1,050 acre feet that it has the right to divert.
The state's public comment period continues until October 16th.
