Community Criticism
Gaston County
When the Carolina Lithium mining project was proposed to the Gaston County community it was met with push back. The residents are concerned that the mine would have a significant impact on the Gaston County environment, specifically the soil quality, air quality, and municipal water quality.
Both the residents and local government of Gaston County have argued against the Carolina Lithium project. Local news station WCNC Charlotte has reported on emails between Gaston County residents, Gaston County Commissioners, and Piedmont Lithium regarding concerns about the amount of pollution the mine will produce. Here, Gaston County commissioner Allen Fraley wrote, “It certainly appears to me that PL [Piedmont Lithium] is acting in a manner this is a done deal and will get a 'rubber stamp' approval”.
In 2018, Piedmont Lithium began to approach Gaston County citizens about buying their land. Piedmont Lithium offered to buy one resident's land for a fixed price “without giving him an idea about the lithium’s actual value”. One resident, Calvin Hastings, settled on a price for his land, and reported feeling “sentimental” about losing land his family had owned for centuries. Hastings has been relocated about a dozen miles away from his former property.
Another Gaston County resident, Warren Snowdon, is leading an opposition group called “Stop Piedmont Lithium”. This organization has is made up of hundreds of Gaston County residents, leading to both vocal opposition and “no pit mine” yard signs being posted around Gaston County. Snowdon explained that "Our issue is on every front: It's water. It's air. It's light pollution. It's noise. It's traffic. Give us a wind farm. Give us a solar farm”.
One major concern of Gaston County locals is arsenic contamination. Arsenic occurs naturally in soil and bedrock, and when it is disturbed, such as during open-pit mining, it can leech into the water supply. According to residents, Gaston County already has issues with arsenic resulting from contaminated lithium mines from the late 20th century. Locke Bell, a Gaston County resident whose property borders the proposed mine, saw the plans for the project and said, “I saw these massive mines… open pits. We have enough of that around here that's toxic already”.
The National Institutes of Health states arsenic may enter the environment from “mining and smelting” related ores. They claim it is possible to intake arsenic through air or water, and that arsenic collects in the soil and in bodies of water. Arsenic is classified by the EPA as a human carcinogen, and long-term exposure is known to cause skin lesions and skin growths.
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The Carolina Lithium project plans to utilize an unconfirmed number of tons of water to flush an estimated sixteen tons of hazardous air pollutants during its operation, including arsenic. This wastewater is to be held in pools for treatment before being reintegrated into the local water supply. Piedmont’s head of safety, Monique Parker, addressed the concerns surrounding arsenic, stating: “That naturally occurring arsenic comes from… volcanic rock activity in that region, so it's not there because we're mining it”.
The residents of Gaston County are also concerned about the number of disturbances they will endure if the project goes through. Piedmont’s blasting consultant, Stuart Brashear, estimated that blasts will be felt from thousands of feet away to a minor degree. He claims these blasts would not exceed twice daily, and he explained that some residents may not notice them.
In 2021, Mike Soraghan of E&E News investigated what residents had to say regarding the project. Gaston County resident Locke Bell said Gaston County has already endured hardships due to Piedmont Lithium’s testing. The heavy machinery used to drill cores on neighboring property has left the land susceptible to erosion. Bell reportedly continued there is “absolutely no protection whatsoever, you can see where it’s already silting up. This is all against the law”. Additionally, Bell explains his concerns if the project does go through. He reportedly stated, “they’re digging down 500 feet deep. Water’s gonna go into the mine. They’re gonna pump it out. They’ll pump the toxic chemicals in here and kill everything. But at first, we’ll go dry”.
Bell also claims a deeper relationship with the land. He affirms that regardless of the presence of the mine, he will not move or sell his land. He told E&E News, “I’m too old to start over. I love these woods. I can’t find it again,” Bell explained. “I don’t want the mine, but if it happens, it happens. I’m not gonna go anywhere.” Despite the proposed project, Gaston County residents continue to protest.
In August 2023 Piedmont Lithium spoke at the Gaston County Commissioners meeting in order to seek permitting approval. The Gaston County Commissioner, Allen Fraley, declined Piedmont's request for approval saying, “the door knocking should have already been done,” when the company proposed that they would go door to door to collect data on the number of residents who have private wells. Gaston County Commissioners are apprehensive towards the project. When commissioner Allen Fraley, one of the commissioners, addressed Piedmont’s head of safety Monique Parker on the arsenic concern, Parker replied, “if we find arsenic, we’ll return the water cleaner than when we found it.” Commissioner Fraley responded, “if you say so”. According to WCNC Charlotte, Fraley also “criticized the length of the mine’s expected usage by Piedmont Lithium, believing the time frame [of mine usage] is too short”.
Commission chairman Chad Brown addressed Piedmont blankly, “We’ve tried to work with you guys… this project is based on a lot of promises. This is the worst economic development rollout I’ve ever seen”. The commissioner’s office also asked Piedmont CEO Keith Phillips to attend their meeting. Phillips did not attend. Vice-Chairman Bob Hovis responded by saying, “These people have very valid concerns. I challenged the CEO to come and speak face-to-face. It’s offensive to us [that he’s not here]”.
Through these negotiations the Gaston County residents continue to “remain skeptical about disrupting the environment they live around”. In the aforementioned hearing, the commissioners “affirmed that no plans would be approved until Piedmont Lithium receives a mining permit from North Carolina”. Piedmont Lithium obtained their state mining permit on April 15, 2024. Proceeding with the Carolina Lithium project now requires rezoning of land by the Gaston County Board of Commissioners.
