Trump appointees reject suit to block exploration in Sky Islands

In 2019 we motored to Oracle, Patagonia and Bisbee from Santa Fe and were shocked by the ravages of surface mining in SE Arizona where operations owned by Morenci and Miami are despoiling water supplies and reducing entire mountain ranges to piles of waste rock. 

At Harshaw, Arizona, Australia-based South32 Ltd. is ripping into Sobaipuri O’odham and Hohokam ancestral lands at the old Hermosa Mine for manganese and nickel.

EarthJustice attorney Scott W. Stern asked the 9th Circuit Court in San Francisco to intervene, arguing for an expedited ruling as "ground-disturbing development activities" involving the challenged projects would begin as early as September 15, 2023. South32 has two projects in the Patagonia Mountains. Along with the small Flux Canyon project, the company has launched the Hermosa project, which will move to extract high-grade zinc-lead-silver and "battery-grade" manganese that could be central to building high-capacity batteries for electric cars. For months, the projects have faced a salvo of challenges and in June, EarthJustice sought a preliminary injunction against the Forest Service, arguing the Patagonia Mountains "and the rare and imperiled species they host—now face a severe threat." [9th Circuit rejects attempt to stall mining projects near Patagonia]

Half of all migratory birds in North America move through the Patagonia, Arizona flyway along the San Pedro River and Sonoita Creek. Standing water at any mine that extracts heavy metals puts wildlife at risk.