PATAGONIA, ARIZONA — The U.S. Forest Service has approved the Hermosa project mine in Patagonia, Arizona, granting federal permits and exemptions for infrastructure, water use, and mining operations. The approval includes 31 exemptions under the Coronado National Forest Plan.

The underground mine is designed to extract up to five critical minerals, including zinc, lead, and silver, with potential for manganese and copper. The approval permits the construction of a Primary Access Road across Coronado forest lands, bypassing the town of Patagonia. It also allows for a 138-kV transmission line to power the mine and a large tailings facility to store mine waste.

Local environmental groups have expressed concerns regarding the approval, stating that the federal agency has not adequately addressed legal and environmental issues. Anna Darian, executive director of the Patagonia Area Resource Alliance, said, "Our community has spent years participating in this process because we believed the agencies responsible for protecting our public lands would carefully evaluate the facts before making a decision." She added, "Instead, the Forest Service approved this project while serious legal questions remain unresolved, leaving many residents wondering whether these agencies are still serving the public interest."

The Patagonia Area Resource Alliance and Center for Biological Diversity plan to evaluate all available options, which could include litigation. Environmental concerns cited by groups include potential impacts on habitats for jaguars and Mexican spotted owls, both of which are listed under the Endangered Species Act. The Forest Service found that twelve species on the Endangered Species List may be adversely affected by the project, and the tailings facility is located on critical habitat for the jaguar.

The approval defers analysis of long-term concerns, such as impacts on local water resources. Prior to federal approval, the mine dewatered the local aquifer to access the ore. An estimated 195,000 acre-feet of water could be removed from the aquifer over the mine's projected 70-year life. The plan outlines discharging this water into three local creeks. According to the environmental impact statement, this dewatering will create a cone of depression, drawing down the water table by 250 feet across nearly 50 square miles and affecting wells within three miles of the mine. Treated groundwater has been discharged into one of the creeks during the mine's construction, resulting in violations of state permits for exceeding antimony levels. Antimony levels have since decreased after South32 invested in its wastewater treatment plant.

The Hermosa project was the first mine added to the FAST-41 program in 2023, a program designed to streamline federal permitting processes. Russ McSpadden, Southwest conservation advocate at the Center for Biological Diversity, said, "Political fanfare can't hide the fact that this permit is a disaster for Arizona's rural communities and endangered species like jaguar and ocelot who live in the area." He added, "This fight is far from over."