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Questions About Hermosa
I have some questions regarding South32’s Hermosa project:
1. Who will get the purified minerals produced at Hermosa? In the past, South32 has sold much of its product to China.
2. Starting in 2027, depending on permitting and other issues, South32 intends to truck zinc ore out Harshaw Road to the Cross Creek Connector to State Highway 82. Hermosa’s intention is for trucks to turn east through the Sonoita crossroads bottleneck to Highway 90, avoiding Highway 83, then north to I-10 and I-19, south to Nogales and then cross into Mexico for processing and concentration. Going the long way around greatly increases the dangers of collision and contamination that will likely occur during the long (50-80 years) life of the mine. Who will pay for cleanup and damages, and how will that be enforced?
3. Once the ore trucks are licensed and fees paid, can they drive on all Federal, State, County Highways, including to turn west from the Cross Creek Connector and go through Patagonia, direct to Nogales?
4. How will the routing be enforced?
5. South32 says that after the initial stages (4-5 years) the Cross Creek Connector/Harshaw Road route will be replaced with a Flux Canyon Road route going through National Forest land direct to Nogales. What if Forest Service approval for the Flux Canyon Road route is denied or delayed? What then will be the route and numbers of trucks per day?
Finally, allowing the for-profit mine to police its compliance with public health and environmental regulations is dangerous: Witness the Boeing Aircraft’s recent deadly catastrophes with its 737-Max airliner after the FFA allowed the company to push for rapid production and profits over engineering and safety.
Richard Collins
Sonoita
Corrections and Clarifications
In the May, 2024 PRT, in the article “County Updates Residents on S32 Road Permits,” we incorrectly identified the Santa Cruz County Public Works Director as Leonard Fuentes. His name is Leonard Fontes, Jr. We apologize for this error.
Clarification: In the article “County, Patagonia Frustrated by Hermosa NEPA Timetable,” Patagonia Town Manager Ron Robinson said “If you don’t comment in the first 30-day period, you have no rights to make any other comments in subsequent periods.” When the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is released, in about one year from now, a second 45-day comment period will open. Objections to the final EIS and the draft record of decision will be accepted only from those who have previously submitted specific written comments on the project.