South32’s Hermosa, the first mine in a fast-tracked permitting program, discharged water with levels of a heavy metal that required alerting the state, but neighbors learned about the issue from local watchdogs.By Wyatt MyskowA proposed critical minerals mine in southern Arizona that was the first added to a federal permitting process designed to be quicker and more transparent has reported water with levels exceeding the state’s regulatory limits of a mineral that can damage the heart, lungs, stomach and eyes. On Tuesday, the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) told Inside Climate News that it is launching an investigation into the discharges.
Observations from the Little Bunker
Last updated: December 10, 2025 10:11 PM
Atmospheric CO₂
427.2 ppm
+17.6
ppm/year
Atmospheric CH₄
1930.95 ppb
+-3.5
ppb/year
Global Temperature
+1.48 °C
Peak: +1.73°C
World Population
8.1 billion
+67
million/year