Letter to the Editor

From Nancy Freeman
Published in Green Valley News, Februrary 2007

We appreciate the good analysis of the Rosemont mine process that Dick Kamp has provided for us through the GV News. I continue to maintain that re-vegetating a one billion-ton dump of waste rock and tailings slurry is impossible. We who have gardened in this area, know that it takes an act of faith to even grow a weed. Obviously, it will take a lot of water to get vegetation to grow on waste piles—especially when tons of new sludge is being added daily. I bet their 5,000 to 10,000 acre feet estimate of annual water use doesn’t include this water use. 10,000 acre feet! That’s 3 times the amount of water used by all residents and businesses in all of Green Valley and Sahuarita.

At the recent Board of Supervisor’s hearing, I told Augusta’s environmental expert, Jamie Sturgess, “This re-vegetation projection for a waste-pile covering 3,000 acres and reaching 17 stories high is simply not feasible.” When he balked, I continued, “It’s never been done. Please don’t do your experimenting in our national forest.” He replied, “Oh, wait until you see our report.” Handing him my card with phone number—“I don’t want to see a report. I want to see where it has been done.” To date, I haven’t heard a word back from him.

Return to Home Page