The Issue

The Pecos Valley, which contains the Tererro remediation site, is an area that is being targeted for exploratory mining operations. This area is still recovering from irresponsible mining operations that contaminated the river in the 1990's causing over 90,000 fish to be killed and millions of dollars spent by the state for cleanup.

Even early stages of exploratory drilling could contaminate the Pecos River and other streams nearby.

Source: nmwild.org

Company Project Details

Tererro Copper-Gold-Zinc VMS Project, New Mexico, USA

On 9 April 2019 New World Cobalt Limited announced it had acquired the Tererro Copper-Gold-Zinc VMS Project in New Mexico. The Jones Hill Deposit is a middle-Proterozoic-aged volcanogenic massive sulphide (“VMS”) deposit located 8km south-west of the historical Pecos Mine.

The Company has entered into agreements providing it with the right to acquire a 100% interest in 20 Federal mining claims covering 400 acres and has also staked new Federal mining claims covering 4,300 acres that encompass multiple under-explored VMS prospects immediately along strike from the Jones Hill Deposit

100% Interest in 400 NM Acres

“The Company has entered into agreements providing it with the right to acquire a 100% interest in 20 Federal mining claims covering 400 acres in New Mexico, USA.”

Location

“The Tererro VMS Project is located approximately 120km north-east of the city of Albuquerque in northern New Mexico. An interstate highway and a national railway line both pass approximately 20km to the south of the Project.”

Forward Work Plans

“Aggressively exploring for the extensions of the Jones Hill Deposit and additional mineralisation at adjacent prospects.”

Permitting Process

Federal

The Forest Service cannot reject the proposal to explore a valid mineral claim on Forest Service lands, but they can and will place necessary conditions upon the project. Comexico has submitted cultural, biological, and hydrogeological surveys to the Forest Service which are being reviewed and will likely be returned to the company for revisions. Once the Forest Service determines the application to be administratively complete, they will put the project proposal out for scoping, a thirty-day comment period, and a public meeting. This is the time to tell the Forest Service that it needs to put the strictest of conditions on this project to ensure the protection of our water, wildlife, and ways of life.

State

The Mining and Minerals Division (MMD) of the Energy, Minerals, and Natural Resources Department of New Mexico needs to determine that Comexico is putting up sufficient financial assurance to remediate the lands disturbed by their exploration activities. They will similarly review the cultural, biological, and hydrogeological surveys submitted by the company. They have sent every version of the application out for comment to the New Mexico Environment Department, the Office of the State Engineer, the New Mexico Game and Fish Department, and other state agencies that have a say in this proposal. Once MMD has determined that the application is administratively complete they will hold a public hearing. The MMD is accepting public comment on this proposal right now and will continue to accept public comments until the close of the public hearing which will likely occur in March at the earliest.

Santa Fe County

The Santa Fe County hard rock mining ordinance is untested, but will require Comexico to submit an application to the county commission before any work is undertaken. The County will also consider whether the company is putting up sufficient financial assurances. While this may seem duplicative of the State’s role in the process, the County may require a more concrete guarantee than accepted by the State. On top of that, the County will hold at least one public hearing on the application and will have a role in the monitoring of any activity that might occur.

Permit Timeline

Tererro Exploration Project Permitting Milestones // Timeline Of events

May 2019	Application Submitted to MMD
June 2019	1st Public Notice Issued
June 2019	Public Hearing Granted by MMD – Date to be determined
June 12, 2019	Permit Application Deemed Administratively Complete by MMD
July 10, 2019	2nd Public Notice Issued
To Be Completed	Permit Application Deemed Technically Approvable by MMD
To Be Completed	3rd Public Notice Announcing Date/Time/Location for Public Hearing
To Be Completed	Public Hearing on the Permit Application
To Be Completed	US Forest Service Approval of Mine Plan of Operations
To Be Completed	MMD Director Decision on Permit

Tererro Exploration Project On-Going Permitting Actions // Document Submittals:

Oct 2020	Public Comments
Oct 2020	Application Supplement, October 1, 2020:
		Letter – Transmittal and List of Outstanding Items
		Application for Regular Exploration
		Updated Figure 2
		Updated Figures 4b – 4b5
		Updated Table 1 – List of GPS Coordinates for Potential Drill Sites
		Updated BMP Table A
		Financial Assurance Estimate
		Final Hydrogeological Report
		Road Maintenance Plan
		Response to Agency Comments
Sep 2020	MMD Comments
Aug 2020	Operator Response to Comments
June 2020	Request for Time Extension and MMD Approval
April 2020	MMD Comments
April 2020	Santa Fe County Comments on Hydrogeologic Resources Report
Feb 2020	NMOSE Comments on the Hydrogeologic Resources Report
Feb 2020	NMDG&F Comments on the Hydrogeologic Resources Report
Jan 2020	NMED SWQB Comments on the Hydrogeologic Resources Report
Dec 2019	Request for Agency Comments on Hydrogeologic Resources Report
Dec 2019	Hydrogeologic Resources Report
	In advance of the Forest Services’ public meeting on December 12, the Mining and Minerals Division (MMD) is posting Comexico’s hydrogeologic resources report as related to the Tererro Exploration Project. For this permit review process hydrogeologic, cultural and biological resources reports will be submitted to MMD to supplement the application. To date, of these reports, MMD has only received Comexico’s hydrogeologic resources report. MMD believes it is necessary for the public to have access to as much information as is available prior to the Forest Services’ public scoping meeting. MMD will continue to post the reports as they are received. MMD must complete the permit application process as required in Part 4 of the NM Mining Act Rules including reviewing all supplemental information prior to making a decision on the permit application.
Dec 2019	USFS Tererro Scoping Period Announcement
Nov 2019	Road Maintenance Plan for Exploration Project
		Part 1
		Part 2
Sep 2019	Permittee Status Update
Sep 2019	MMD Letter, Public Comments Received
Sep 2019	Inspection Report
Aug 2019	Status Update on Requests for Public Hearing
Aug 2019	2nd Amendment to Proposed Drill Pad Layouts, Revised Table 1a and Figure 2a
July 2019	Public Notice Documentation
July 2019	Request for Agency Comments on Supplemental Info
July 2019	1st Amendment to Proposed Drill Pad Layouts, Revised Table 1a and Figure 2a
June 2019	MMD Letter Deeming Application Administratively Complete
June 2019	MMD Letter Granting Public Hearing
June 2019	Request for Public Hearing from NM Acequia Association
June 2019	Request for Tribal Consultation
June 2019	MMD Letter Granting Public Hearing
June 2019	Request for Public Hearing from Upper Pecos Watershed Association
June 2019	MMD Letter Granting Public Hearing
June 2019	Request for Public Hearing from NM Wilderness Alliance
June 2019	Request for Agency Comments
May 2019	Application and Figures
		Table 1 – GPS Locations of Potential Drill Pads
		Attachment 1 – Access Documentation
		Attachment 2 – MSDS Sheets
		Attachment 3 – Financial Assurance Proposal
		Attachment 4 – Public Notice Documentation