Potential Impacts of Mining in San Rafael Valley Watershed & the San Rafael Valley and A Land In Balance Surrounding Mountains The San Rafael Valley

Although the impacts to the area from individual mining operations might not seem severe, the cu- A Land In Balance mulative impact of numerous large-scale industri- We are a not-for-profit charitable organization al mining projects could have significant negative created to protect the diverse community culture, effects including: the long-term economic viability, and the healthy ecosystem of the San Rafael Valley watershed • Impacts to the current economic and recre- in southern . This watershed exists as a ational uses of the area (ranching, hunting, beautiful, non-fragmented and relatively hiking, birding, etc). undisturbed area from the peaks of the Patagonia • Destruction of habitat and disruption of Mountains, the and the Huachuca migration routes in an area that is home to Mountains to the sweeping grasslands of the several threatened or endangered species. valley below. • Degradation of surface and groundwater quantity and quality (mining and drilling op- Our primary goal is to ensure that the multi- erations use substantial amounts of water). ple-use aspect of this precious resource are not • Contamination of the Santa Cruz River head- compromised. No single use - specifically large waters, the only unspoiled segment of the scale industrial mining - should be allowed to entire watercourse. overshadow other uses. Although mining may • Impacts to air quality. bring short-term gains to the local economy, the • Noise associated with mining and drilling. cumulative long-term impacts of multiple mining • Violation of Santa Cruz County’s “dark skies” operations will change the very nature of the area. The unspoiled beauty of the San Rafael Valley initiative (there are multiple professional and and surrounding mountains is a unique resource amateur observatories in the area). and habitat. A Land In Balance is a not-for-profit • Significant degradation of the visual resources Please visit our website for more information organization committed to sustaining the rich and of the area. about our mission or to become involved. diverse uses and history of the area. • Significant increases in traffic on local roads. The cumulative impact of large-scale mining Please stay informed about upcoming milestones www.alandinbalance.org operations within the San Rafael Valley and in as multiple companies try to move forward with [email protected] the surrounding mountains threaten to forever plans to mine in the area. Visit our website change the character of the entire area. (www.alandinbalance.org) for updates, provide 520-363-3335 comments to the National Forest Service and oth- P.O. Box 544 Please help us protect the fragile balance of the er regulatory agencies, volunteer to help us protect Patagonia, AZ 85624 San Rafael Valley watershed! this unique resource, or donate so that we can represent those who use and love the area. The San Rafael Valley watershed and surrounding As of early 2020, there are at least four mining Help us ensure that the beauty and diversity of mountains currently support a wide variety of proposals that could negatively impact the the area are not sacrificed for the benefit of global activities (ranching, hunting, hiking, birding and San Rafael watershed: mining interests*. Short-term economic gains many other recreational activities). A Land In • San Antonio Project (Barksdale Resources)- must be judiciously weighed against the long-term Balance is striving to maintain the character of the A proposed drilling project that could lead to cumulative impacts of multiple mining projects area without allowing any one activity to adverse- an open-pit copper mine. potentially in operation for decades to come. ly impact the others. Our immediate concern is • South 32 - A deep underground mine and mining. Mining has historically been a part of associated processing facilities. *South32 is a mining and metals company headquartered in the local economy, but the scale of the operations • Sunnyside Project (Barksdale) - 30 explorato- Perth, Western Australia. It was spun out of BHP Billiton in 2015. recently proposed is without precedent. The pro- ry drill holes on public land. *Barksdale Resources is a spin-off of a Canadian mining posed exploration and mining projects encompass • Four Metals Project (Barksdale) - Various exploration company that is focused on the acquisition and an area of approximately 60 square miles. mineral deposits, adjoining South 32’s opera- exploration of base metal resources in the United States. tions.

Approximate Boundary of San Rafael Valley Watershed FR 799 State or Forest Service Road

FR 58 State or Forest Service Designated Scenic Road 82 Arizona Trail Route Proposed Drilling or Mine Sunnyside Project Locations (Exploratory Drilling)

83 South 32 (Proposed 82 Underground Mine)

FR 49 Harshaw Road FRMap 58 of the Valley 83 San Rafael Road

82 FR 214 Apache Road

Four Metals Project (Potential Mining FR 49 Operations) San Antonio Project (Exploratory Drilling) FR 61 FR 61 Duquesne Road Santa Cruz FR 61 River FR 61 Duquesne Road San Rafael Natural Area FR 61 (Arizona State Park)

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