The Yavapai County Board of Supervisors has unanimously endorsed a Bureau of Land Management environmental assessment of a proposed volcanic rock mine near Prescott. As Arizona Public Radio’s Justin Regan reports, the move is a response to requests by concerned locals.
The residents say the mine could pose a threat to the local watershed and wildlife along with putting hazardous dust in the air. They fear the rock may contain a mineral called Erionite, which can be deadly if inhaled. Rem Hawes, the Hassayampa Field Manager for the BLM, says such an action usually doesn’t warrant an environmental assessment.
“However, because of the interest in the community, some of the substantive issues that were raised and also some of the political interest in it we are going to take the lead to go ahead and do an environmental assessment with a full environmental analysis,” says Hawes.
The proposed site is near the communities of Kirkland and Skull Valley. Before work begins at the mine, the Kirkland Mining Company wants to move a pile of volcanic rock left over from mining operations in the 80’s.
A spokeswoman with the company told the Daily Courier the rock they want to mine can produce environmentally friendly cement and help with water filtration. The environmental assessment can take six months.
