Mineral Creek
December 2, 2022
While hiking in Mineral Creek today, we were alarmed to encounter numerous fresh mining claim stakes like the one show below.
It was only then it dawned on me that Summa Silver's plans to redevelop silver mines near Mogollon might also impact Mineral Creek. In the map below from the Summa Silver website, it's clear that the redevelopment area not only engulfs the historic town of Mogollon, but also directly impacts Mineral Creek. In discussion of the negative impacts, I've heard mention of Mexican spotted owls and sites sacred to the Chiricahua Apache, but no discussion of the disastrous consequences for one of the most beautiful canyons in the Gila National Forest.
There's more information at https://nmpoliticalreport.com/2022/09/20/advocates-say-new-mining-claim-near-mogollon-threatens-ecosystem-and-sacred-sites/
Below are a few photos and a short video of our hike:
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Previous explorations of this area: