The multi-purpose room of West Yadkin Elementary School was nearly full last Thursday with Hamptonville area residents concerned about a potential aggregate mine on a nearly 500-acre tract of land near the school.
HAMPTONVILLE — Several hundred Hamptonville residents gathered at West Yadkin Elementary School last week for a community meeting regarding a proposed mining project on a nearly-500 acre tract of land in the area. In early March neighboring property owners received a letter from Three Oaks Quarry detailing the concept of an aggregate mine which has been proposed for the property.
Residents’ concerns have been growing since last year when, at the time, unexplained test drilling began on the site. According to a report by NC Policy Watch, Jack Mitchell, president of Synergy Materials, said the drilling was part of a due diligence process to determine the highest and best use of the land.
In the recent letter to residents, Mitchell identified himself as President of Three Oaks Quarry and said he was working with Turnkey Processing Solutions, a company that develops properties produce aggregate, a key ingredient in construction of roads, buildings etc.
Initial speculation from neighbors was that fracking or lithium mining could be the reason developers were interested in the property. The proposed aggregate mine, however, has not lessened concerns from the community.
Environmental concerns, property values, and increased traffic in the area are just a few of the things residents are worried about. Perhaps one of the biggest concerns is the proximity of the proposed mine to West Yadkin Elementary School.
Among the panel which addressed questions during last Thursday’s meeting were Yadkin School Board members Tim Weatherman, Tim Parks and Sharon Yale. Also taking part in the panel was Yadkin County Schools Superintendent Todd Martin.
“It’s my job to advocate for the children of this school and the other schools here in this county, and it’s greatly concerning to me, personally, to know that a mine is going to be just behind this school and in such close proximity to 460 students and approximately 60 staff members who work here everyday,” Martin said. “I’m worried about the blasting, it’s been described that the blasting is going to be minimal, but that’s still a concern for me.”
“I just don’t think that’s what’s best for students, bottom line,” Martin concluded, to applause from those in attendance.
Also among Thursday’s panelists was Edgar Miller representing the Yadkin Riverkeeper organization. Miller said runoff and sediment into Deep Creek could be a potential concern.
Though he noted that he did not yet have the information about the proposed mine and could not answer questions with 100 percent certainty, Miller did say that potential impacts on Deep Creek could pose problems. He added that the Yadkin River tributary is already considered “to be impaired” by the State.
“These types of facilities, we understand, can affect surface water drainage, ground water levels so we would expect that unless they somehow contained all this, it could potentially add to the sediment problems in Deep Creek and I don’t have to tell you all that Deep Creek already runs pretty muddy,” Miller said.
Other members of the community group against the proposed mine who have been researching mining and contacting State officials about the project in recent months addressed questions as well.
There were no representatives from Three Oaks Quarry at the meeting, but the business is planning to host its own informational session on Wednesday, March 23 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Yadkin Agricultural and Educational Building, 4432 Old U.S. 421, Yadkinville.
The property in Hamptonville is currently zoned rural agriculture (RA). A rezoning request to Manufacturing Industrial (MI-2) has been filed with the Yadkin Planning Board. County Manager Lisa Hughes explained that the Planning Board has 60 days to review and respond to the request. The next Yadkin County Planning Board meeting is April 11.