The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Energy, Mineral, and Land Resources (DEMLR) has issued a mining permit for the Parker Mine operation, covering 83.6 acres in Stanly County.

After thoroughly considering comments received during the public engagement process, including a public hearing held in June 2021, DEMLR has issued the permit with operational limits.

Conditions of Mining Permit 84-06 were based upon the Mining Act of 1971, and include provisions related to wastewater and stormwater discharge, air quality and dust control, blasting and buffers between the operation and any surrounding waterways. No on-site disposal of waste generated outside of the mining boundary is allowed without seeking permission from DEMLR.

Additionally, extraction of gold or other metals, or metal-bearing ores, though chemical separation shall not be permitted. Any chemical separation will require a modification request be submitted to and approved by the DEMLR prior to initiating any chemical separation.

The final permit, final permit reviews and hearing officer reports can be found on the DEMLR website.