Starting in 1827 when gold was discovered at Haile, mining has impacted the land on and off for nearly 200 years. The most recent mining cycle from the 1980s has been fully reclaimed but outside that footprint evidence of the past mining remain.
New technology opens the door to different mining techniques. Romarco says the Haile Gold Mine operation "will institute possibly the most rigorous environmental program in mining…that will go beyond regulatory requirements." Click here to read details of their plans.
So far, the Haile team has spent more than $4 million on environmental studies. A pre-mining survery found there to be no evidence of the Carolina Heelsplitter on the mine site.
The Haile processing facility will be state-of-the art utilizing new technology.
Mercury will not be used on the Haile Gold Mine site.
Cyanide will only be used in a closed circuit process and will be neutralized before it leaves the closed circuit system.
Haile leaders say their plan is designed to ensure everything that touches cyanide will be double lined or double contained - even after neutralization. Additionally they say:
Cyanide is addressed on the FAQ page of the company website with a video response to the question, "Does Haile have to use cyanide?"
Restoring Impacted Land
Restoring land impacted by mining will begin almost as soon as mining begins. Haile plans to use concurrent reclamation and any existing disturbance will be 100% bonded. Click here for the company video on concurrent reclamation and look for the question "What is Haile's reclamation plan?"
Haile leaders say the company "will spend as much money on reclamation as mine equipment. And at the end of the mine life they say the site will be contoured, topsoil restored and revegetated. Engineered wetlands will be installed where appropriate to ensure long-term water quality."
Mitigation is the process of offsetting the impacts to wetlands and streams.
Haile's mitgaton plan will preserve land in two South Carolina counties, create a Lynches River Conservation Board and will create the largest Midland's nature preserve in the South Carolina Heritage Trust program
The main components of the Haile Gold Mine Mitigation Plan are: land donations, endowments and a new conservation board.
The parcels of land were chosen for their significant natural resource areas, including aquatic resources capable of providing environmental benefits on a watershed and regional scale, unique landforms, cultural resources, and historic and archeological resources.