Las Cruces, NM – Today, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) released the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Copper Flat Copper Mine Project (Project), opening a 45-day public comment period.
The BLM has prepared the Draft EIS in conjunction with its four Cooperating Agencies: the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, New Mexico Environment Department, New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department, and New Mexico Office of the State Engineer.
The New Mexico Copper Corporation (Copper Corporation) is seeking approval from the BLM to reestablish a poly-metallic mine and processing facility located near Hillsboro, New Mexico. The 2,190-acre project would utilize BLM-managed public land and private property, and would produce copper, gold, silver, and molybdenum. The Project would provide Copper Corporation access to conduct mining activities in Sierra County on public land, leading to the extraction and processing of copper ore.
The Proposed Action is to approve a project that would process 17,500 tons per day of copper ore over a mine operations period of 16 years, resulting in 100 million tons of ore processed over the life of the mine. One alternative considered in the EIS would approve a project that would process 25,000 tons per day of copper ore over a mine operations period of 11 years, resulting in 103 million tons of ore processed over the life of the mine. A second alternative (the preferred alternative) considered in the EIS would approve a project that would process 30,000 tons per day of copper ore over a mine operations period of 12 years, resulting in 125 million tons of ore processed over the life of the mine.
With the release of the Draft EIS, the BLM is commencing a 45-day comment period. The comment period will end on January 19, 2016. Members of the public will have the opportunity to learn about and comment on the proposed Project at two public meetings in New Mexico.
Public meetings will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. at the following locations:
· Wednesday, December 16 - Hillsboro Community Center, 158 Elenora St., Hillsboro, NM
· Thursday, December 17 - Truth or Consequences Civic and Convention Center, 400 West Fourth, Truth or Consequences, NM
The Draft EIS can be viewed at: www.blm.gov/nm/copperflateis. For more information, contact the BLM Project Manager Doug Haywood, 575-525-4498 ordhaywood@blm.gov.
- BLM -
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The BLM's mission is to manage and conserve the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations under our mandate of multiple-use and sustained yield. In Fiscal Year 2014, the BLM generated $5.2 billion in receipts from public lands.