Beryllium exploration continues at Monticello Box

Beryllium exploration continues at Monticello Box

By Mary Katherine Ray, Chapter Wildlife Chair

The Monticello Box and Warm Springs are under renewed threat from beryllium mining yet again.

After completing the strongly opposed five exploratory bore holes on the hills directly south of the Box, the company seeking to profit from the beryllium deposit asked for a permit modification to add 19 bore holes to its exploration. These new holes would be to depths of several hundred feet, except for one that would be to 3,500 feet—much deeper than any bore hole yet.

The danger still is that any of these holes will fracture and alter the incredible warm-springs complex and its abundant flowing water that are only several hundred yards distant. The pools and stream of the Canada Alamosa are home to the Endangered Alamosa Springsnail, the threatened Chiricahua Leopard Frog and countless other wild creatures and plants.

The corporation, in applying for a permit “modification,” avoids the more scrutinized permit “revision” process that, among other safeguards, could include a public hearing. It would appear that it is getting what it wants by this piecemeal approach that would never have been allowed under the original permit. Now that the Mining and Minerals Division is under a new administration that has shown itself not to be concerned with clean and abundant water if short-term profits are at stake, 13 of the proposed bore holes have been approved with a simple sign-off from the agency.

No additional public scrutiny will be considered even though thanks to our members, a couple of hundred emails of protest were sent. The 3,500-foot monster has not yet been approved. But the corporation has wasted no time in reapplying for it and the other five holes. Mining should not continue at this site at all.

You may protest to Mining and Minerals Division Acting Director Charles Thomas, P.E., at charles.thomas@state.nm.us.