Since 2019, Twin Pines Minerals, LLC, an Alabama-based company, has submitted several applications to obtain a permit that would allow them to mine near the nationally and locally recognized Okefenokee Swamp.
The company hopes to mine titanium and zirconium on 582 acres of land. Titanium is used for “national security” and “highly durable paints and coatings”, according to their website.
Environmentalists and scientists alike express concerns over the impact on water levels and preservation of the ecosystem.
Senior Attorney for the Southern Environmental Law Center Bill Sapp claims that if the mining project proceeds, it would likely result in decreased water levels in the Okefenokee. Decreased water levels would result in exposed peat, which is decayed vegetation, maximizing the risk of wildfires.
Since 1937, the 600 square mile swamp has been federally recognized as a National Wildlife Refuge. It is home to more than 1,000 animal and plant species, including endangered species.
“Before any mining happens, we gotta make sure that the refuge has enough water so that the wildlife and birds can survive,” Sapp said.
The Federal Reserved Water Rights Doctrine is enforced on federal lands to ensure that enough water remains within the area to support the reason for reservation.
“Scientists and other officials would have to examine how much water is needed in the swamp to preserve the whole purpose of the Okefenokee and establish whether the mine is going to cause the amount of water in the swamp to go down,” Sapp explained.
Last January the Georgia Environmental Protection Division announced that they did not find that Twin Pines’ mining project would result in substantial impacts on the water levels. However, scientists claimed the EPD’s analysis did not consider several elements of the project and environmental processes.
“The reason that these independent scientists are thinking that the mine might cause problems with the water levels in the swamp is that to build their mine and make it function, Twin Pines has to dig a deep, deep pit. As soon as you start digging an area like they’re planning to dig on Trail Ridge, it fills with water,” Sapp said. “Twin Pines has to pump, or dewater, the pit. They are gonna be constantly running pumps to pump the water that fills into the pit and they cannot discharge that water because it will be too contaminated.”
According to a 2023 Mining Plan Use Summary, Twin Pines plans to form several ponds designated for process water, or waste water. That water will then be removed by either a dewatering process or an evaporation technique.
The document states that 1,000 gallons can be evaporated per minute. Sapp is skeptical of this method.
“We just think that plan is not gonna work because they’re gonna have to evaporate over a million gallons of water a day in southeast Georgia where it’s humid,” Sapp stated. “We’re not convinced it can be done.”
Georgia residents are not pleased with the proposed mine either.
In a survey conducted by Hart Research, 93% of respondents agreed that protecting the Okefenokee’s ecosystem should be prioritized over economic development.
“The public has been really clear that they want to protect the Okefenokee,” Sapp said.
If you would like to learn more about the Okefenokee Swamp, visit the refuge or park websites.
