NEDERLAND, Colo. — The owners of the Caribou-Cross Mine in Nederland hosted a public meeting on Tuesday, to discuss their plans to expand operations and address community concerns. The meeting, which was part of the mine’s efforts to maintain transparency and open communication with local residents, focused on the mine's previous water quality issues, as well as the steps taken to address them.
Concerns surrounding the mine’s expansion were high on the agenda, particularly due to past violations of federal water quality standards. In 2022, the mine faced significant backlash after heavy metals were found to be leaking into the local water supply. The water levels exceeded federal quality standards on 11 separate occasions.
The mine's owner, Grand Island Resources (GIR), is currently in the process of being acquired by American Clean Resources Group (ACRG). The company hosted the meeting to assure Nederland residents that the mine had taken corrective measures since those violations.
“We are extremely proud of the work our team has done to eliminate the exceedances we experienced,” Tawana Bain, the CEO of ACRG, said. “Since the installation of a new filtration system, there have been no further exceedances of water quality standards.”
Despite this, some members of the community remain skeptical. One of the primary concerns is the potential long-term impact on water quality, as the mine is located near critical water sources. Although Bain emphasized the drinking water remained safe — even during the periods of non-compliance — the public expressed doubts.
“We understand that the situation raised concerns,” Bain said. “But it’s important to clarify that while we did exceed standards for aquatic life, the drinking water was always safe and even cleaner than tap water. There’s a difference between what impacts aquatic life and what’s safe for human consumption.”
Those concerns briefly popped up again at the end of 2024, when tests revealed a high level of copper in the water. Water regulations for copper are capped at just .2 mg/l, but the spike in December, 2024, was measured at 3.4 mg/l.
The state warned GIR about the spike in February, 2025, ordering the mine to get back in compliance and giving them 30 days to respond. The next month, GIR acknowledged the spike, but said the only activity at the mine during that period was the "removal of surface snow."
In a letter to the state, GIR President Daniel Takami attributed the spike "to the natural mineralized environment where the well is installed." Additionally, the company said they would conduct compliance tests over several weeks during the first quarter of 2025, but argued that the spike was "an outlier."
The meeting also saw discussions about the broader future of the Caribou-Cross Mine and its merger with ACRG, a move that has been met with both optimism and uncertainty. The merger is part of ACRG’s broader strategy to develop industrial parks powered by renewable energy, with plans for land reclamation and waste-to-energy operations in Nevada. Bain expressed confidence in the merger, despite some earlier challenges caused by noncompliance.
In addition to water safety, attendees voiced concerns about the a recent permit application by the mine to expand operations from 10 acres to 206 acres. While the mine is currently an underground operation, there was discussion about future above-ground work, including a potential mill.
“We are in the process of evaluating and taking feedback from consultants, and we are committed to ensuring any expansion aligns with both our sustainability goals and the community’s concerns,” Bain said.
While the meeting didn’t result in unanimous support, Bain viewed it as a step forward in building trust and open dialogue with the community.
“No one’s perfect, and we are all learning,” Bain said. “The most important thing is that we’re here to listen and improve.”
Local concerns were further amplified by reports of potential disruptions during the meeting. Bain confirmed, the company had received threats ahead of the event, raising safety concerns.
“We took steps to ensure that everyone, including our team and the attendees, felt safe,” Bain added.
The mine's next steps will depend on the feedback received during the meeting and future regulatory assessments.
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