What is being done in Arizona in the name of reclamation is total destruction
of historic mining sites. Taxes for producing and nonproducing facilities
were essentially the same. When the mine was idle for a few years in the
early 40s and 50s the mills and mine buildings were destroyed. Only the
waste dumps and mill tailings were left. Now they are destroying these by
dozing the hillsides, filling in the holes and planting the areas with native
plants. Nothing is being preserved. With any luck, the cost of filling in
the open pits will be prohibitive and these will be spared. They have
already made noises about reclaiming the dumps and the tailings and some
people have even tried. It would be a sad thing to see a landmark like the
Ajo Open pit destroyed at the whim of some petty politician or some city
raised do gooder. They have already destroyed the mill, the smelter, the
original launders and most of the shops and administrative buildings. The
Arizona State Historic Preservation Office would like to do something but,
they lack the knowledge of what to do or the money to do it with. Phelps
Dodge the owner of the property would like to restart the operation when the
price gets back up and through operation they would achieve preservation.
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